2 Feb. USA. Robert B. Lewis S. G2. Santa Anita Park. 8,5f. AW. 200.000 $
1.- CROWN OF THORNS (V.Espinoza)
2.- COAST GUARD (R.Bejarano)
3.- REFLECT TIMES (M.Smith)


B. Wayne Hughes’s Crown of Thorns easily took command after slipping through on the rail with a powerful move on the far turn and scored decisively in his stakes debut on Saturday in the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park.

The 1.70-to-1 favorite in the compact field of five three-year-olds, Crown of Thorns was eager to run under jockey Victor Espinoza and pulled the rider while stalking on the inside from third, never more than three lengths behind pacesetter Meal Penalty and runner-up Coast Guard through an opening quarter in :23.32 and a half-mile in :47.85.

Nearing the five-sixteenths pole, a small gap opened and Espinoza guided the Repent colt through en route to a half-length advantage through six furlongs in 1:11.41. Crown of Thorns held that margin in early stretch and edged away under urging in midstetch to be 2½ lengths clear at the wire, covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.76 on the synthetic Cushion Track surface.

“This horse does everything right,” Espinoza said of Crown of Thorns, who was trying two turns for the first time. “There was a little opening and we got through. I was a little worried about using him early, so when we made the lead, I just sat still on him.”

Espinoza has been aboard for each of Crown of Thorns three starts, including
an impressive seven-length maiden win his season debut on January 1 at the Arcadia, California, track. He finished fifth in his career bow on December 8 at Hollywood Park.

“This horse is getting better with every race,” Espinoza continued, “and he can do anything. I really think we could put him on the lead and win that way, too.”

Coast Guard raced evenly throughout to hold second, 3 ¾ lengths in front of Reflect Times (Jpn).