Spring House nips Sir Dave in the last jump at Del Mar

Spring House (left) became the first repeat winner of the Del Mar ‘Cap in more than 50 years (Benoit Photo) Closing with a furious late rush for Alex Solis, R.D. Hubbard’s SPRING HOUSE (Chester House) got up to deny Sir Dave (Untuttable) by a nostril, and defend his title, in Sunday’s $250,000 Del Mar H. (G2). The Julio Canani charge, who had set a stakes and course record of 2:11.14 last year, finished the 1 3/8-mile affair in 2:12 3/5 on the firm turf. Spring House thereby became the first two-time winner of the Del Mar ‘Cap since Navarone (1992, 1994), and the first repeat winner since Arrogate (1955-56), who scored when the race was still held at 1 1/8 miles on the main track. When Ghetto (GB) (Auction House) tore off through wild fractions of :22 3/5, :45 2/5 and 1:10, chased by Black Astor (Black Minnaloushe), the predictable meltdown was sure to benefit the deep closers. The first to make a move, however, was Temple City (Dynaformer), who had been racing at the head of the rest of the pack. Temple City rolled to the front on the far turn, trying to steal a march on his pursuers. Although he opened up by 2 1/2 lengths in midstretch, ultimately he could not hold off the well-timed barrage of the late runners.

Sir Dave erupted deep inside the final furlong and drove to the lead. In his
wake, and wider out, came Spring House and 9-5 favorite Artiste Royal (Ire) (Danehill).
For a moment, it appeared that Sir Dave just might hang on, but Spring House’s
momentum propelled him abreast of Sir Dave at the wire. The two flashed past in
tandem, and it took several minutes before the photo-finish verdict went to
Spring House.

“The old boy’s still got it,” Solis said of his seven-year-old mount. “I
wanted to keep him clear; keep him out of trouble. I knew he was going to make
his run and I wanted to be able to let him do it. It was close and I knew it. I
thought I might have won, though. Right at the end his head was down and I
thought that made him a winner.”

“This horse just loves Del Mar,” Canani said. “He wins here. I don’t know why
he can’t win at Hollywood Park, but he doesn’t. I lost them in the fog (on the
far turn), and when I heard Trevor (Denman) say Spring House was coming, I was
thinking he had to hurry because the wire was coming up. The early pace
surprised me. It was like they were trying to escape from Alcatraz.”

Alex Solis studies the replay (Benoit Photo) Dispatched as the 5-2 second choice, Spring House furnished mutuels of $7.60, $4.60 and $3.80 while keying the $1 exotics — $40.70 exacta, $324.80 trifecta and $1,344 superfecta (8-3-2-9). Sir Dave, an 11-1 outsider,  paid $10 and $5.80 for his agonizingly close call. Temple City saved third, another three-quarters of a length back, and returned $5.40 at 8-1. Artiste Royal missed third by a nose and was trailed by Unusual Suspect (Unusual Heat), Obrigado (Fr) (Enrique), Porfido (Chi) (Mash One [Chi]), Itsnotjustagame (Rahy), Ghetto and Black Astor. Racketeer (Awesome Again) was scratched, along with the also-eligible Quarter Moon (Tactical Cat).

Spring House’s seventh career stakes score improved his record to 43-10-7-11,
and it bumped him up into the millionaires’ bracket with $1,121,284 in earnings,
The Del Mar ‘Cap was his second successful title defense of the season, for the
dark bay gelding had racked up his second straight San Luis Obispo H. (G2) in
February. Spring House also owns wins in this year’s Golden Gate Fields Turf S.
(G3), the 2007 Carleton F. Burke H. (G3) and 2005 Japan Racing Association S.
Spring House has accumulated 13 stakes placings, including a close second-place
effort in the San Juan Capistrano Invitational H. (G2) in April and another
runner-up finish in the Sunset H. (G2) last time out.

The winner was bred in Kentucky by Rio Claro Thoroughbreds, Hubbard and C.
Sczesny, and is out of the Group 2-winning Spring Star (Brz) (Itajara). The mare
is a half-sister to Brazilian champion Verinha (Brz) (Baronius), who is herself
the dam of Grade 2 scorer Cool Conductor (Stravinsky) and is from the same
family as multiple Grade 1-winning sire Siphon (Brz) (Itajara) and multiple
stakes hero Yankee Bravo (Yankee Gentleman).

Spring House is a half-brother to an unnamed juvenile colt by Leroidesanimaux
(Brz) as well as the dam of current juvenile Grand Slam Andre (Grand Slam), hero of the Middleground
S. and Clever Trevor S.