Stayers' Watch: San Luis Obispo Handicap · 24.02.09

Spring House, winner of last year’s San Luis Obispo Handicap, managed to repeat in this year’s edition of the G2 turf race at Santa Anita this past Sunday.

The 7-year-old dark bay gelding accelerated quickly between pace-setters Zambezi Sun and Kris Silver to take the lead in mid-stretch. Spring House then had enough to hold off the fast-closing Church Service to claim a 1/2-length win. Attempted Humor finished third. Final time for 1 1/2 miles was 2:27.26 on a track rated “firm”.

Last year, the San Luis Obispo was Spring House’s only long-distance score — he went on to finish 10th in the $5 million Dubai Sheema Classic and 9th in the “Breeders’ Cup Turf”. This year, according to trainer Julio Canani, he will stay at Santa Anita for a while and aim for the San Luis Rey Handicap on 21 March.

Church Service also repeated in this race, in a sense — he also finished second to Spring House last year. Unlike the other horse, Church Service competed with some success as a stayer throughout 2008. He finished in the money on both grass and synthetic, including a strong second-place in the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Marathon. Hopefully he will have better fortune this year.

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What do you think?

  1. Good race. Years ago this punter saw old John Henry toy with the pacesetter Obratsky in this contest to go off and win as the rider pleased.

    Who says marathons aren’t fun?

    — Dr. Timothy Yatca,k · Feb 25, 09:51 AM · #

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