San Rafael

Spanish Chestnut earned his first stakes victory in the San Rafael (Benoit)

Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor’s SPANISH CHESTNUT (Horse Chestnut [SAf])
battled for the early lead in Saturday’s $150,000
San Rafael S. (G2) at Santa Anita
before gaining a slight edge over Kirkendahl (Menifee)
and holding the advantage throughout. After an opening quarter in :23, the chestnut
and jockey Gary Stevens had the field breathing down their necks through a half
in :46 and 1:10 for the six furlongs. Turning for home, the Patrick Biancone
trainee held a 1 1/2-length lead through seven eighths in 1:23, and he was able
to find more in deep stretch to keep rivals Iced Out (Comic Strip) and Delta Jackpot hero Texcess
(In Excess [Ire]) at bay.

Spanish Chestnut, who finished three-quarters-of-a-length ahead of Iced Out with Texcess
another length back, traveled a mile in 1:36 3/5 over the fast track.

“He loves to fight,” Stevens said. “He relaxes when he’s in front. He kind of
missed the start, and I had brief thoughts of rating him. And when I was between
those two horses (Chips Are Down and Kirkendahl) going into the first turn, he
grabbed the bit and he was just going to fight with Kent’s horse (Kirkendahl).
Kent got his horse back, or we might have fried each other. But when I did get
in front he relaxed, and I was able to get him a breather. He was under a drive
from three (furlongs) out. He just keeps going. He’s a classic colt.”

The 7-2 fourth choice returned $9, $5.60 and $3.40 on top of a $33.50 exacta
($1). Iced Out, dismissed at nearly 10-1, gave back $7.60 and $3.40. Texcess
completed the $118.30 trifecta ($1) and was worth $2.60 to show as the second
choice. Chips Are Down (Distorted Humor), who pressed the pace on the
backstretch, was next under the line and followed by 9-5 favorite Kirkendahl in
fifth. Dover Dere (Cherokee Run) was scratched and opted for the Golden Gate
Derby, in which he finished third.

Spanish Chestnut was bred in the Sunshine State by Don Graham and Ocala Oaks.
This is his first graded win, as the three-year-old improves his mark to 5-3-2-0
with earnings of $174,420. He was purchased for $500,000 as an OBS February
two-year-old. Out of the stakes-winning mare Baby Rabbit (No Sale George), he
has an unnamed yearling half-sister by Monarchos.