Much of the pre-race discussion going into Saturday’s $203,500 Seabiscuit (G2) focused on Chad Brown’s Redistricting, but it was another four-year-old on the comeback trail, Mi Hermano Ramon, who stole the show at Del Mar.
Making his third start off a 14-month layoff for Mark Glatt, the 11.50-1 shot launched a well-timed rally with Hector Berrios and beat favored Redistricting to the punch. Mi Hermano Ramon reached the wire a half-length in front of the hard-charging Redistricting, who edged Astronomer and defending champion Easter in a frenetic finish.
Like Redistricting, Mi Hermano Ramon had shown talent as a sophomore. But the Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal runner had his 2023 campaign halted by early summer. Redistricting came to hand in the second half of his sophomore season, only to be pulled up in the Hollywood Derby (G1) over this very course.
Both spent the bulk of 2024 on the sidelines. Mi Hermano Ramon finally resurfaced in an Aug. 29 allowance here, checking in a non-threatening fifth. The Creative Cause gelding improved next time to miss by a neck in the Oct. 19 Lure S. at Santa Anita, where he might have won with a clean trip.
Redistricting didn’t reappear until the Oct. 13 Knickerbocker (G3) at Aqueduct, and traffic cost him dearly as well in his neck loss. That effort made him the 3-2 favorite in the Seabiscuit, reportedly his bridge to the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) at Gulfstream Park.
Patiently ridden by new pilot Flavien Prat, Redistricting dropped anchor to last of 12 in the Seabiscuit. Mi Hermano Ramon also settled well off the pace, but not quite as remote, and Berrios worked to gain position at the decisive juncture.
Up front, Sumter and Fast Buck dueled through fractions of :23.98, :47. 29, and 1:10.55 on the firm course. They were effectively done turning for home, when Seal Team rolled up from his stalking spot to take command. Yet he too was treading water inside the eighth pole as the closers bore down.
By that point, Mi Hermano Ramon was making eye-catching headway. Rallying past Astronomer as they both overtook Seal Team, the chestnut was going too well to be caught by the belated Redistricting. Mi Hermano Ramon clocked 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.07 to earn his first graded laurel.
Redistricting, who fanned out widest of all leaving the turn, closed furiously on the far outside, but too late. The favorite grabbed second by a neck from Astronomer, who salvaged third by the same margin from the fast-finishing Easter on the inside.
Seal Team was relegated to fifth in the final strides. There was a 2 1/2-length gap back to Zio Jo, followed by St Anthony; Fast Buck; Almendares; Cabo Spirit, who had chased the pace early with Seal Team; Sumter; and Masteroffoxhounds.
Mi Hermano Ramon sparked a $24.80 payout while enhancing his record to 9-4-1-1, $321,480. Fourth to future mile star Johannes in his stakes debut in the 2023 Baffle S., and fourth again in the Transylvania (G3) at Keeneland, Mi Hermano Ramon captured the Singletary S. and placed third in the Cinema S.
Bred by co-owner Red Baron’s Barn in Kentucky, Mi Hermano Ramon is out of the Suances mare Sassy Suances. Black-type is fairly thin under his first three dams, but if digging deeper in the extended family, one finds multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Society Selection.
Earlier in the $103,000 Jimmy Durante (G3) for two-year-old fillies, Will Then continued the successful invasion by Augustin Stables, trainer Jonathan Thomas, and jockey Vincent Cheminaud. The 10.50-1 shot swept from near the back of the pack to score by 2 1/4 lengths in her stakes debut, covering the mile in 1:36.46.
Casalu placed second, Resolve took third, and Sea Runner, a half-sister to Johannes, rounded out the superfecta. The complexion of the race changed just prior to the start, when hot favorite Supa Speed acted up in the gate and got scratched by the veterinarian.
The first stakes winner for freshman sire War of Will, Will Then was stepping up from a Woodbine maiden win. The bay added to recent Del Mar stakes victories by fellow George Strawbridge Jr. homebreds Mrs. Astor (in the Nov. 24 Red Carpet [G3]) and Truly Quality (in Friday’s Hollywood Turf Cup [G2]). Will Then has now earned $92,571 from her 3-2-0-0 line.
The Kentucky-bred is a half-sister to stakes victress Born Dapper. Their dam, the Pulpit mare Remember Then, is a full sister to multiple Grade 3-placed stakes scorer Senada and a half to Grade 1-placed Arthur’s Tale. They were in turn produced by multiple Grade 2 queen Owsley, also the granddam of Grade 2-placed stakes winner Gingham and stakes hero Blackadder.
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