Kings River Knight wires Crystal Water Stakes
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ARCADIA, Calif. – The front end was favorable for two 5-year-old stakes winners setting the pace at a mile on turf in the first two stakes for California-breds on Sunday at Santa Anita.
The gelding Kings River Knight ($3.60 favorite) wired the $100,000 Crystal Water Stakes, race 1. The mare Eddie’s New Dream ($6.20 second choice) wired the $100,000 Fran’s Valentine Stakes for fillies and mares, race 4. The stakes were the first of five for Cal-breds on Sunday.
Kings River Knight benefitted from key scratches in the Crystal Water, creating an easy strategy decision for trainer John Sadler and jockey Juan Hernandez.
“The way the scratches came up, I said he looks like he should have the lead,” Sadler said, recounting his pre-race conversation with Hernandez. Sadler told the rider, “Don’t overthink it. Put him out front, if you are on the best horse, he’ll be good.”
Kings River Knight was good. The scratch of potential pace rivals Indian Peak and The Chosen Vron allowed the gelding to set a comfortable pace and keep on running. “He won the race out of the gate,” Hernandez said.
Kings River Knight broke on top, cruised a half-mile in :47.54, ran his final half-mile in :47.01, and won by 2 1/4 lengths over Coalinga Road in 1:34.55. The third- through fifth-place finishers were Carmelita’s Man, Bang for Your Buck and None Above the Law.
The win by Kings River Knight was his fourth from nine starts. The son of Acclamation is owned by a partnership that includes Ellwood Johnston Trust, Integrity Thoroughbred and Kenneth Tevelde. The Crystal Water was the gelding’s second start for Sadler after winning three of his first seven starts for Northern California-based trainer Andy Mathis.
“He had good form before I got him,” Sadler said. “The ownership group just thought there might be a few more opportunities for him down here, especially these Cal-bred races.” The next objective for Kings River Knight is the $150,000 California Dreamin’ Stakes for Cal-bred distance turf runners on July 27 at Del Mar.
The Fran’s Valentine Stakes unfolded the same as the Crystal Water, with Eddie's New Dream setting similarly comfortable fractions under jockey Mario Gutierrez. Trained by Ben Cecil and owned by breeder J. Paul Reddam, Eddie’s New Dream ran her first half-mile in 47.55, her second half-mile in 47.50 and won by a half-length over Rose Maddox. The final time was 1:35.05.
Reddam gave the pre-race instructions to Gutierrez. “I thought she’d be fresh, and having the rail, she should protect that position,” Reddam said. Good plan. When expected pace rival Taming the Tigress broke poorly, it gave Eddie's New Dream an easy time of it on the lead.
Eddie’s New Dream wired the field for her seventh win from 23 starts. With earnings of $588,100, Eddie's New Dream is the second-leading money winner sired by the pensioned former stallion Square Eddie.
After one-two finishers Eddie's New Dream and Rose Maddox, the third- through sixth-place finishers were Shocking Grey, favorite Big Switch, Warrens Candy Girl and Taming the Tigress. Closing Remarks scratched to run Monday in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes.
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