California Crown – Grade I (P10) [BC]
1 1/8 Mile Dirt Stake Purse $1,000.000 Open 3 Year Olds And Up.

1st Master And Commander Fractious Franco M

What a day it was for Fractious Stable today as once again they found a closer in a race with a fast pace that was able to get the timing right. This one went all the way back to last from its wide gate, a position which normally see’s them running on late into a minor placing but the pace was strong through every sectional here which allowed this one to pick his way through the weakening horses and get up to win by a neck. He had been closing hard all year but hadn’t won since the first of January which just goes to show how hard it is to find the right conditions for closers to win on this new engine. Today though everything fell into place at the right time and he now finds himself in the BC and no-one can say he didn’t deserve a big win after being the bridesmaid so many times this year.

2nd Schopenhauer Maxmillion Farm Ferrer J C

Whatever this horse was sprinkled with in August I want some!!!
We saw this coming with his easy win at DMR albeit in much lesser company, and his stupendous work times which improved by half a second in August but he still had to do it at this level and he very nearly did. When you consider he won his maiden in a claimer last year and was beaten in a claimer this year it does make you scratch your head as to where this sudden improvement came from but we see this rapid climb in improvement curves with some horses here at HRP and very often it is just some hidden trait that we can only hope visits one of our horses. His run was made more remarkable by the fact that he was taken on for the lead and made to go much faster than he probably intended but he still had enough to lead everywhere but the post in the final furlong.

3rd South China Sea Fractious Velazquez J R

Stalked the fast pace from a wide gate and kept on really well for third. He won the Whitney last time in a much faster time but it was probably the wide gate that saw him beaten today as he had to work to find his spot.

4th Prince Ferro Maxmillion Farm Jimenez A

Two trainers shared all the money here as Prince Ferro ran into fourth. He probably needed an extra furlong or two to have a chance of winning but ran his usual solid race.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES