R.D. Hubbard’s SPRING HOUSE (Chester House) stalked the early pace in midpack
during Sunday’s $111,300
Carleton F. Burke H. (G3) at Oak Tree, split horses on the backstretch and
going into the final turn, and pulled clear under Garrett Gomez to post a 2
1/4-length victory as the 9-5 favorite. The Julio Canani trainee rewarded his
faithful backers with payouts of $5.80, $4 and $2.80 while keying the $1 exotics
worth $15.50 (exacta), $53.10 (trifecta) and $227.80 (1-10-2-8 superfecta).
Isipingo (Horse Chestnut [SAf]) bid outside of early pacesetter Republican
Hawk (Peintre Celebre) and took the advantage, but couldn’t hold off the winner,
settling for second at 7-2 to return $5.20 and $3.20. Runaway Dancer (Runaway
Groom) came charging five wide into the stretch and closed late, but finished another half-length back in
third, paying $3.20 at 5-1. Atlando (Ire) (Hernando [Fr]) came another 1 1/2
lengths back in fourth, and next under the line were Porfido (Chi) (Mash One
[Chi]), Niagara Causeway
(Giant’s Causeway), Republican Hawk, Rush Rush (More Than Ready), One Off (GB)
(Barathea [Ire]) and Caribbean (GB) (Sadler’s Wells).
Spring House earned his first graded score, and just his second stakes win,
when finishing 1 1/2 miles over Santa Anita’s firm turf in 2:24. However, the
five-year-old, winner of the 2005 Japan Racing Association S. at Laurel Park,
has placed in 10 black-type events, including this season’s Del Mar H. (G2) and
Sunset Breeders’ Cup H. (G2). From a line that now reads 28-5-5-10, he has
accumulated $424,284 in lifetime earnings.
Bred in Kentucky by Hubbard, Rio Claro Thoroughbreds and C. Sczesny, Spring
House is out of Group 2 winner Spring Star (Brz) (Itajara), who has since
produced an unnamed yearling filly by Kafwain and an unnamed weanling colt by Leroidesanimaux
(Brz). The dark bay gelding was a $29,000 RNA at the 2003 Keeneland
September Yearling Sale.