Forest Chatter, Lucky J Lane step up for Crystal Water
ARCADIA, Calif. – At the start of 2015, Forest Chatter and Lucky J Lane had accomplished little. Forest Chatter was winless after two starts. Lucky J Lane had won a maiden race against California-breds.
They have been almost unbeatable this year.
On Saturday, Forest Chatter and Lucky J Lane are the two leading contenders in the $100,000 Crystal Water Stakes for California-breds at a mile on turf at Santa Anita. The Crystal Water, which drew a competitive field of eight, will be the stakes debut for Forest Chatter and Lucky J Lane, 4-year-old geldings in outstanding form.
Forest Chatter, trained by Richard Mandella, is unbeaten in four starts this year, all on the hillside turf course. Lucky J Lane, trained by Richard Baltas, has won three of his last four starts, with all wins at a mile on turf.
In the Crystal Water, they face the multiple stakes winners Awesome Return and Weewinnin, along with Patriots Rule, a stakes winner at Los Alamitos last September. The Crystal Water is the fourth race on an 11-race program that begins at 11:30 a.m. Pacific.
Crystal Water, race 4
KEY CONTENDERS
Forest Chatter (Last 3 Beyers: 95-92-90)
◗ Forest Chatter has typically run from off the pace on the hillside. Mandella said Forest Chatter can lead, although Weewinnin, who won the California Cup Turf Classic in January 2014, has ample speed. The Crystal Water will be the longest race for Forest Chatter.
“I don’t think it will be a problem,” Mandella said of the distance.
◗ Forest Chatter’s progress in recent months has been a surprise, he said.
“I didn’t think he would be this good when he was young, but he’s gotten better and better,” Mandella said. “His knees were bothering him when he was a youngster, so we turned him out. When he came back, he was the real deal.”
◗ Flavien Prat will ride Forest Chatter for the first time, replacing Mike Smith, who is in New York on Saturday.
Lucky J Lane (Last 3 Beyers: 92-84-90)
◗ Lucky J Lane rebounded from a fifth in an optional claimer at 1 1/8 miles on turf March 27 to win a similar race at a mile on turf May 1. Ridden by Prat, Lucky J Lane closed from seventh in the final quarter-mile to win by a head over Weewinnin.
“He was last at the quarter pole,” Baltas said. “I thought Prat moved late, but it didn’t seem to matter.”
◗ Rafael Bejarano rides Lucky J Lane on Saturday. He was aboard Lucky J Lane for consecutive wins in optional claimers at a mile on turf in January and February. Those wins were the start of an ascension that continues.
“I think he’s figuring it out, and he’s getting better and better,” Baltas said. “He wants to win.”