Redistricting is back for another try in California in the 1 1/16-mile Seabiscuit Handicap (G2T) Nov. 30, taking on many of the usual local suspects on the Del Mar turf.
In his previous trip west for trainer Chad Brown just shy of a year earlier, the Kingman gelding was pulled up heading into the stretch. He has had only one race since but a close runner-up finish in that grade 3 race on the East Coast was sufficient to put him at the top of the morning line for the Seabiscuit.
The Klaravich Stables runner won his debut June 3, 2023, at Belmont Park going 1 1/16 miles on the grass. Tossed immediately into the deep end, he wasn't competitive in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) in his next start, finishing seventh. That triggered a four-month layoff prior to an off-the pace allowance win Oct. 28.
Shipped west and again lined up against the top ranks for his return, Redistricting lugged out in the second turn in the Hollywood Derby (G1T) Dec. 2, 2023, and was pulled up by jockey Joel Rosario. He was taken in hand by an outrider midstretch and walked off on his own power, but then was out of action for more than 10 months. He returned Oct. 13 in the Knickerbocker Stakes (G3T) in the Belmont at the Big A meeting and was closing stoutly in the final strides only to come up a neck short of stablemate Andthewinneris.
"It was nice to run one-two, but it was very frustrating for Redistricting," Brown said. "I feel bad for his connections because that horse looked like he was probably the best."
The local crew features several runners with notable graded stakes success at one point or another in their careers but the few with consistent recent good form have been competing a rung or two down the class ladder.
Easter won the 2023 Seabiscuit and followed that up with a win in the San Gabriel Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park on Boxing Day. But the Exosphere gelding hasn't won in four starts since in 2024 leading up this year's Seabiscuit.
Cabo Spirit jumped up to win the California Crown John Henry Turf Championship Stakes (G2T) in September at Santa Anita but then beat only one horse in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T). He scratched out of the Nov. 29 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (G2T), a longer 1 1/2-mile turf race.
Sumter and Mi Hermano Ramon reported one-two in the restricted Lure Stakes Oct. 19 in their previous starts but neither had shown much leading up to it. Seal Team finished fifth in that race as the favorite but attracts some attention in the Seabiscuit for a victory in the Twilight Derby (G2T) in his previous start—even though that was in November 2023.
Richard Mandella trains both Sumter and Seal Team for Perry and Ramona Bass and commended both horses on their Lure effort.
"Sometimes it takes me four or five years to learn how to train one," Mandella quipped. "He (Sumter) had a good trip. He's been training out of his mind. I was going to enter him in an allowance race next week. But the other horse (favorite Seal Team) hadn't run in a while and might be rusty, so I thought we'd take a second chance at it."
Trainer Phil D'Amato, usually flush with candidates in Southern California turf races, fields Easter, Masteroffoxhounds, and Almendares in the Seabiscuit. Almendares finished second in each of his past two starts, the Del Mar Mile Stakes (G2T) and the City of Hope Mile Stakes (G2T).
