Melatonin

Malatonin earned his first win in his fifth start but followed with another visit to the winner's circle after his sixth race. He finished sixth in his stakes debut in the Pirate's Bounty Stakes in September 2015 before a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Eddie D. Stakes.

After running exclusively in sprint races during his first three seasons, Melatonin stretched out to 1 1/16 miles for his 5-year-old debut and won impressively by 3 3/4 lengths. That prompted trainer David Hofmans to take a shot with Melatonin in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap and the gelding rewarded him with a runaway 4 1/4-length win to bank $600,000 of the $1-million purse.

Melatonin showed the Big 'Cap win was no fluke when he finished second to highly regarded Effinex in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap before returning to Southern California to win another Grade 1 race in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 25. The Gold Cup victory earned Melatonin an automatic starting spot in the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic as part of the "Win and You're In" Challenge Series.

Stakes-placed winner Yanquee Reign, by Yankee Victor, is the dam of Melatonin.