Express Train Edges Hot Rod Charlie in San Antonio
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Express Train prevails over Hot Rod Charlie (inside) and Eight Rings in the San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita Park
On opening day at Santa Anita Park, Express Train provided his owners with some holiday memories by just edging classic-placed grade 1 winner Hot Rod Charlie in the $201,000 San Antonio Stakes (G2).
With the nose victory in the Dec. 26 test, C R K Stable's Express Train closed out his 4-year-old season in style. The son of classic winner Union Rags completed the 1 1/16-mile test for 3-year-olds and older in 1:44.82 to nail down his third grade 2 win.
A thrilling finish in the G2 San Antonio S. won by #2 EXPRESS TRAIN over #4 Hot Rod Charlie! @VictorEspinoza on the mount for Trainer John Shirreffs & Owners CRK Stable.
Opening Day stakes action is just starting to pick up from @SantaAnitaPark! Watch live now on TVG. pic.twitter.com/zKcGNbxnb7— TVG (@TVG) December 26, 2021
Lee Searing of C R K Stables said he thought Express Train prevailed at the wire despite the photo finish. He credited jockey Victor Espinoza for asking the colt for his best at precisely the right time.
"Victor did a great job of getting him out at exactly the right time," Searing said. "He was ready for Hot Rod Charlie to go a little quicker, but he got him out at the right time. The horse was going to finish in a great race. This was a great race."
Espinoza said things came together well as the multiple grade 1-placed runner earned his first victory since the San Diego Handicap (G2) in July at Del Mar.
"It was really tight and I think I got out just in time," Espinoza said. "I was able to follow and move with Hot Rod Charlie. This horse takes a little bit of time at the turn, so I had to start pedaling to start following the other horses. Turning for home and squeezing for the lead is when he really accelerated. At that point I knew my only shot was to calculate him to win right at the wire. Sometimes things go the way we calculate turning for home, and sometimes they don't. Today it worked out and we got it right at the wire."
Searing was glad to see Express Train, sent off at odds of 7-1, get a good start and then stay close early, racing fourth through a quarter mile in :23.87 and fifth as the half-mile went in :47.37. Trained by John Shirreffs, Express Train stayed within three lengths of early leader Eight Rings before moving between foes into the far turn and then rallying three wide.
"His last two races, he did not break well. Victor did a great job because everyone wanted to get in there early and he was just down on the inside," Searing said. "It showed he could eat some dirt today. He's a really good horse when he is a stalker and gets to the outside. Today finally he got it at the end there. This is a nice horse, a really nice horse."
Doug O'Neill, trainer of 1-5 favorite Hot Rod Charlie, believes the 2021 Pennsylvania Derby (G2) winner can build off Sunday's effort going into 2022. The son of Oxbow is slated to target the Dubai World Cup (G1) in March at Meydan.
"We got beat a bob. He ran great," O'Neill said. "We are very optimistic about the next year with him. I'm proud of him and the connections. He ran a great race."
Eight Rings held on for third.
Bred in Kentucky by Dixiana Farms, Express Train has earned $815,800 in 15 starts with a record of 5-4-3. A $500,000 purchase by Mayberry Farm for C R K Stable from Lane's End's consignment to the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Express Train is out of the Mineshaft mare I'm a Flake. His second dam is November Snow, a daughter of Storm Cat who won the 1992 Alabama Stakes (G1), Test Stakes (G1), and Rare Perfume Stakes (G2) in New York. I'm a Flake foaled another Union Rags colt in February and has a yearling colt by Accelerate .