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Crown of Thorns impresses in Lewis
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Crown of Thorns stamped himself as a Derby
horse-to-watch
(Benoit Photo) |
B. Wayne Hughes' CROWN OF THORNS (Repent) made his move along the inside on
the far turn and drew off to a sharp, 2 1/2-length tally in the
$200,000 Robert
B. Lewis S. (G2) over the Cushion Track at Santa Anita on
Saturday. The 8-5 favorite outkicked Coast Guard (Stormy Atlantic) to the wire
under Victor Espinoza to complete the 1 1/16 miles in 1:40 3/5, paying $5.40,
$3.40 and $2.60. A smashing maiden winner last time out for trainer Richard Mandella,
the bay colt has now established himself as a major Kentucky Derby (G1) hopeful.
Meal Penalty (Tale of the Cat) sped to the front immediately after the start
and led the field through moderate splits of :23 1/5 and :47 4/5, with Coast
Guard stalking on the outside and a rank Crown of Thorns in behind the early
leader. Espinoza urged his mount through a small opening along the rail on the final turn and quickly took the lead, reaching six furlongs in 1:11 2/5. As
they straightened for the stretch drive, Crown of Thorns held a small edge over
a gearing-up Coast Guard, but he would not be denied on this
day.
"This horse does everything right," Espinoza said. "There was just a little
opening (approaching the five-sixteenths pole), and we got lucky and got
through. I was a little worried about using him early, so when we made the lead,
I just sat still on him. This horse is getting better with every race, and he
can do anything. I really think we could put him on the lead and win that way
too."
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Coast Guard was 3 3/4 lengths clear in second while paying $4 and $2.80 as
the 9-2 fourth choice. The runner-up completed the $8.10 exacta ($1). Reflect
Times (Jpn) (French Deputy) was last to the stretch and gained third by a head
at 5-2, worth $2.80. Indian Sun (Indian Charlie) and Meal Penalty completed the
field.
Crown of Thorns improved his mark to 3-2-0-0, $149,640, in winning his second
consecutive race. On New Year's Day, the sophomore was a superb seven-length
maiden winner. The Florida-bred
fetched a bid of $300,000 at the 2007 OBS March Two-Year-Olds in Training sale.
The winner, bred by Clover Leaf Farms II, was produced from the unraced
Crowning Touch (Thunder Gulch), who is a half-sister to champion sprinter and
current sire Smoke Glacken (Two Punch), Grade 2 vixen Smokey Glacken (Forestry)
and the stakes-winning and Grade 3-placed Capote's Crown (Capote). Crown of Thorns has an unnamed two-year-old full brother.
Mandella indicated that the March 1 Sham S. (G3) and the April 5 Santa Anita
Derby (G1) could be on the itinerary.
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