This being awards season for movies, it would be appropriate for big winners to thank everyone in the world who ever helped him or her get anything done. The length of lists can be appalling. On Saturday, February 9, 2019, however, when John Sadler won the San Marcos S.-G2 at Santa Anita with his Galileo colt Platinum Warrior, he would only have had to thank one person: Simon Callaghan, for not entering a horse in the race.
Callaghan’s Saturday was stellar. First, he took the Las Virgines S.-G2 with prohibitive favorite Bella Fina (Quality Road), who actually had to work for this victory, though victory it was, by ¾ of a length, nonetheless. She beat a small, though quality, field to add to her impressive resume.
True Valour’s win in the Grade 3 Thunder Road S. was less expected, as favored River Boyne was left with too much to do in closing on the leaders, allowing Qatar Racing’s Irish-bred colt to vanquish all comers. And there was Simon Callaghan in the winners’ circle once more, enjoying a day that could only have been topped off if it were his birthday. The young trainer was characteristically cool in post-race interviews, looking very much as if multiple graded stakes wins were a daily happenstance.
— Roberta Smoodin