Jimmy Blue Jeans holds off None Above the Law in Snow Chief

ARCADIA, Calif. - Jimmy Blue Jeans was an eager gelding in the post parade of Saturday’s $152,000 Snow Chief Stakes for 3-year-old California-breds at Santa Anita, breaking away from the other runners and quickly going into a pre-race warm-up.

During the Snow Chief, Jimmy Blue Jeans showed the same enthusiasm.

Racing near the front throughout, Jimmy Blue Jeans took the lead in early stretch and held off a late threat from even-money favorite None Above the Law to win by a neck.

“He was a handful,” jockey Kent Desormeaux said.

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Jimmy Blue Jeans ($33.40) ran 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:48.69, and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 78. Trained by Andy Mathis in Northern California, Jimmy Blue Jeans stalked pacesetter Found My Ball through the first six furlongs in 1:11.86 before challenging for the lead.

Desormeaux rode Jimmy Blue Jeans for the first time in the Snow Chief and was impressed with the gelding’s energy through the race and in stretch run.

“Once I released him, I didn’t know he would quicken, as strong as he was,” Desormeaux said. “They can only do it so far and he didn’t stop.”

The win was worth $90,000.

None Above the Law had won two one-mile stakes at Golden Gate Fields earlier this spring – the Silky Sullivan Stakes for statebred 3-year-olds on turf on April 25 and the Alcatraz Stakes against open company on the synthetic main track on May 23.

In the Snow Chief Stakes, None Above the Law raced in sixth on the rail on the backstretch. Jockey Flavien Prat moved None Above the Law off the inside in the stretch and closed well despite not catching the winner.

“I wish I could have gotten out sooner, but I had no place to go,” Prat said.

Ferrariano (12-1) finished third in his stakes debut, finishing a neck and a nose behind Jimmy Blue Jeans.

Ingest finished fourth, followed by Big Talker, Cargo, Found My Ball, Play Chicken, and Que Sera Sir Ralph.

Jimmy Blue Jeans, by James Street, races for the partnership of Perry Bruno, John Gezon and Robert Jones. Jimmy Blue Jeans was bred by Bruno and Gezon.

The Snow Chief was the first start away from Golden Gate Fields for Jimmy Blue Jeans, who has won 3 of 6 starts and has earned $143,636. Jimmy Blue Jeans was seventh at 33-1 in the Silky Sullivan Stakes in his stakes debut and rebounded to win an allowance race-optional claimer at a mile on turf on May 16 in which he was eligible to be claimed for $50,000.

Jimmy Blue Jeans gave the 42-year-old Mathis his first career stakes win at Santa Anita.