Catalina Cruiser

Catalina Cruiser was a $370,000 purchase at the 2015 Keeneland September yearling sale but he did not make his career debut until October 2017, when he pulled away to a 2 ¼-length victory in a maiden special weight race at Santa Anita Park.

The chestnut Union Rags colt made his 4-year-old debut in an allowance race at Santa Anita in May 18 and again won by 2 ¼-lengths.

After running twice in three-quarter-mile sprints, Catalina Cruiser stretched out to 1 1/16 miles for his graded stakes debut in the Grade 2, $200,000 San Diego Handicap on July 21 at Del Mar. He set the pace in the San Diego and powered to a dominant lead in early stretch en route to a runaway victory.

Catalina Cruiser next raced in the Aug. 25 Grade 1 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar, shortening up to seven furlongs. He romped by 7 ¼ lengths over three opponents, earning an automatic berth in the Las Vegas Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile via the “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series. In the Dirt Mile, Catalina Cruiser veered out at the start, raced wide, and never threatened while running sixth, beaten by 17 1/2 lengths.

After a layoff of more than seven months, Catalina Cruiser returned in the Grade 2 True North Stakes at Belmont Park on June 7. He was caught between horses early but closed powerfully in the sretch to collar Strike Power and Recruiting Ready in the final strides to win by a neck. Catalina Cruiser set a new stakes record for the 6 1/2-mile race, completing the distance in 1:14.85. He stretched back out to 1 1/16 miles for his next start in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap on July 20 at Del Mar and scored a repeat victory by a length from Mongolian Groom. Catalina Cruiser followed with a repeat victory in the Pat O’Brien Stakes, in which he fought off a tenacious challenge from Giant Expectations to prevail in a thriller and earn a starting spot in the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.