Freedom's Not Free catches Sumter at wire in Daytona Stakes
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ARCADIA, Calif. - With less than a furlong remaining in Saturday’s Grade 3 Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita, Sumter blasted clear to lead by about two lengths.
The advantage was insufficient.
Freedom’s Not Free, who raced behind Sumter on the hillside portion of the course and in early stretch, closed with a sharp rally to catch Sumter in the final stride. The Daytona was Freedom’s Not Free’s first start since August.
“I would have taken a dead heat,” winning rider Juan Hernandez said.
Freedom’s Not Free ($12.20) ran about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course in 1:12.49.
Both Sumter, the 2-1 favorite, and Freedom’s Not Free had ideal trips, stalking 58-1 Modus Bestia through a quick pace of 21.84 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 43.79 for a half-mile.
Sumter, ridden by Mike Smith, moved closer to the front in early stretch and had a half-length lead at the eighth-pole. Freedom’s Not Free was seventh with a furlong remaining, trailing Sumter by slightly more than three lengths.
The margin between the two dissipated quickly in the last 50 yards.
“I was tracking” Sumter, Hernandez said. “I knew he was the horse to beat.”
Sumter was favored on the strength of a win in the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes on the hillside turf course on March 14, and a troubled fifth, beaten 2 1/4 lengths, in the Grade 3 American Stakes at a mile on turf on April 18.
Sumter won the San Simeon by a nose after leading by a half-length in the stretch.
“He gets to where he hangs a bit,” trainer Richard Mandella said after Saturday’s loss. “He ran good.”
First Peace, who was well placed in third after a half-mile, finished in that position, losing by 1 1/2 lengths.
Anmer Hall finished fourth, followed by Irish Royalty, Later Than Planned, Incanto, Friendly Confines, War At Sea, Nesso’s Lastharrah and Modus Bestia.
Later Than Planned, the 9-2 second choice, was the lone 3-year-old in the field. Later Than Planned won the John Shear Stakes for 3-year-olds on the hillside turf course in April.
Freedom’s Not Free, a 4-year-old colt by Omaha Beach, won his first graded stakes in the Daytona. A winner of 4 of 10 starts, Freedom’s Not Free won two minor stakes for 3-year-olds on turf at Santa Anita in consecutive starts in early 2025 – the Baffle Stakes on the hillside turf course, and the Pasadena Stakes at a mile.
The Daytona was Freedom’s Not Free’s first start since a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby last August.
Freedom’s Not Free, who is trained by Mark Glatt, races for the partnership that includes Blinkers On Racing Stable and Janlois Racing. Freedom’s Not Free has earned $343,080.
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