Home Sweet Aspen guts out Santa Monica score

Home Sweet Aspen just held the very game Sugarinthemorning (Benoit Photos)

Craig Stables homebred Home Sweet Aspen was under pressure throughout
Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Santa Monica Stakes but gutted out the neck win
under jockey Joel Rosario. The John Sadler trainee ran seven furlongs on the
Santa Anita
fast track in 1:21 2/5 after setting splits of :45 2/5 and 1:09 1/5.

The Kentucky-bred daughter of Candy Ride returned to the winner’s circle in the Santa Monica
following a pair of unplaced efforts in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes and Cool Air
Stakes in her last two. She captured an optional claimer and the Louis R. Rowan
Stakes, which was her first black-type score, prior to those races, and was also
second in the Grade 3 Eight Belles Stakes last May.

“Last time (in the La Brea), she was probably going a little too
quick, but she was much better today — she was impressive,” Rosario
said. “I kind of saw the other horse coming on the outside, so I just
waited a little bit, but I knew she had a little more left because I let
her go out easy early, and she did.”

“These races came up good for her so we thought we would be in the first two
sprints (including the December 31 La Brea),” Sadler said. “We won these races
last year with Switch and I think this is a good sprinting filly, a good quality
filly. It’s pretty exciting to have her win a Grade 1. I felt she’s capable and
we got a good trip today. I thought she’d run well in here today.”

It was nip/tuck between Home Sweet Aspen and Sugarinthemorning down the lane (Benoit Photos)

“I was just following the leaders and turning for home, she was a little bit
intimidated going along the rail, which is understandable,” said Victor
Espinoza, who piloted Teddy’s Promise. “We were really, really close. It was the
only chance that I had to move on, but I felt I didn’t have enough horse to go
by the other ones in front.

“Things happen. The race didn’t set up the way I wanted, but she’s a good
filly. This was her first time she was inside on the rail, but I think she will
come back and run better next time.”

Sugarinthemorning held second by 2 1/4 lengths over She’s Cheeky, with Big Tiz
and Teddy’s Promise next under the line. Rumor and Bella Diamante completed the
order of finish.

“He (Victor Espinoza) could never get her out,” trainer Ron Ellis said of
Teddy’s Promise. “That’s the first time she’s ever had dirt hitting her in the
face. I knew the inside post was going to be a problem for us.”