Owner Kosta Hronis has put his faith in trainer John Sadler from the very beginning. It’s a system that works well, as horses like champions Flightline , Accelerate , and Stellar Wind attest. Sadler recommended that Hronis Racing purchase Full Serrano from his native Argentina, and it resulted in victory in the Nov. 2 $1,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).
“I don’t really get to do the shopping,” Hronis said. “I just follow John around. I have the basket, and he puts the stuff in and I go to the register. That’s my involvement.”
Five-year-old Full Serrano came available this year, and Sadler quickly developed him into a horse who could be competitive at the top level. In his first U.S. start, Full Serrano tackled what would be the same surface and distance he would encounter at the Breeders’ Cup. He won a mile allowance/optional claimer at Del Mar Aug. 3 and then ran a terrific second in the 1 1/4-mile Pacific Classic (G1), also at Del Mar.
“He trained really well here (at Del Mar) this summer,” Sadler said. “He got back to Santa Anita and he got a little fever.”
That caused Full Serrano to miss the 1 1/8-mile California Crown Stakes (G1) Sept. 28 at Santa Anita Park.
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“He shed that quickly and trained up good for this race,” Sadler said.
Though the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) attracted a great deal of talent, several excellent 3-year-olds and older runners opted for the Dirt Mile. Preakness (G1) and Pennsylvania Derby (G1) winner Seize the Grey received plenty of the betting action, given his more than 2,500 owners via MyRacehorse. He ultimately went off as the 11-2 third choice. Trainer Chad Brown, fresh off his Classic win four races earlier with Sierra Leone , saddled the eventual 3-1 favorite, multiple New York graded winner Domestic Product .
Others in single digits in the wagering included Bob Baffert-trained Muth , Brad Cox-trained Saudi Crown , Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Skippylongstocking , and Post Time , trained by Brittany Russell and ridden by her husband, Sheldon.
That left Full Serrano at 13-1. He also received a new jockey in Joel Rosario. While Rosario had never before piloted Full Serrano, he and Sadler had been a terrific team when the jockey used to ride the Southern California circuit regularly.
“I cannot thank him enough for everything that he has done for me in my career,” Rosario said.
That included the two collaborating to win the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Classic with Accelerate at Churchill Downs.
Though Rosario now rides in the East most of the year, he and Sadler quickly resumed their teamwork with Full Serrano.
“I just told him the horse was really doing well—he’d had a lot of training and was fit and ready to go,” Sadler said. “Ride him aggressively into the first turn. I thought the tactics would be key with a 14-horse field at Del Mar.”
Rosario put Full Serrano into the race early. T O Saint Denis of Japan set the early pace, with Full Serrano racing a length behind in second. T O Saint Denis was responsible for fractions of :22.30, :45.47, and 1:09.69, which as it turned out set the race up for Full Serrano.
“The horse did beautifully, did an amazing job up there,” Rosario said.
Full Serrano took command just past the quarter pole, with plenty in reserve. Post Time, last early, made a huge run while racing four wide, and Domestic Product also came from well back. Neither could catch Full Serrano, who hit the wire 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Post Time, with Domestic Product 2 1/4 lengths back in third.
Full Serrano ($28.80) stopped the clock in 1:35.48.
Longshots Tumbarumba and Katonah finished fourth and fifth, followed by Skippylongstocking, Muth, and Seize the Grey among the field of 13. Saudi Crown raced in fifth early, looked to make his move on the second turn, but then backpedaled and ended up last.
Full Serrano started 14 times in Argentina from 2022-24, with four wins, four seconds, and two thirds. One of those seconds came in group 3 company. Stud Haras Gran Muneca SA bred him from the Jump Start mare Serra Do Mar. Full Serrano is by Full Mast , a son of Mizzen Mast Rosario won on in New York for owner/breeder Juddmonte Farms and trainer Bill Mott. Full Mast retired to stud at Haras Chenaut in Argentina.
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