Crown of Thorns impresses in Lewis

B. Wayne Hughes' Crown Of Thorns made his move along the inside on the far turn and drew off to a sharp, 2 1/2-length tally in the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (GII) over the Cushion Track at Santa Anita on Saturday. The 8-5 favorite outkicked Coast Guard (Stormy Atlantic) to the wire under Victor Espinoza to complete the 1 1/16 miles in 1:40 3/5, paying $5.40, $3.40 and $2.60. A smashing maiden winner last time out for trainer Richard Mandella, the bay colt has now established himself as a major Kentucky Derby (G1) hopeful.

Meal Penalty (Tale of the Cat) sped to the front immediately after the start and led the field through moderate splits of :23 1/5 and :47 4/5, with Coast Guard stalking on the outside and a rank Crown of Thorns in behind the early leader. Espinoza urged his mount through a small opening along the rail on the final turn and quickly took the lead, reaching six furlongs in 1:11 2/5. As they straightened for the stretch drive, Crown of Thorns held a small edge over a gearing-up Coast Guard, but he would not be denied on this day.

"This horse does everything right," Espinoza said. "There was just a little opening (approaching the five-sixteenths pole), and we got lucky and got through. I was a little worried about using him early, so when we made the lead, I just sat still on him. This horse is getting better with every race, and he can do anything. I really think we could put him on the lead and win that way too."

Coast Guard was 3 3/4 lengths clear in second while paying $4 and $2.80 as the 9-2 fourth choice. The runner-up completed the $8.10 exacta ($1). Reflect Times (Jpn) (French Deputy) was last to the stretch and gained third by a head at 5-2, worth $2.80. Indian Sun (Indian Charlie) and Meal Penalty completed the field.

Crown of Thorns improved his mark to 3-2-0-0, $149,640, in winning his second consecutive race. On New Year's Day, the sophomore was a superb seven-length maiden winner. The Florida-bred fetched a bid of $300,000 at the 2007 OBS March Two-Year-Olds in Training sale.

The winner, bred by Clover Leaf Farms II, was produced from the unraced Crowning Touch (Thunder Gulch), who is a half-sister to champion sprinter and current sire Smoke Glacken (Two Punch), Grade 2 vixen Smokey Glacken (Forestry) and the stakes-winning and Grade 3-placed Capote's Crown (Capote). Crown of Thorns has an unnamed two-year-old full brother.

Mandella indicated that the March 1 Sham S. (G3) and the April 5 Santa Anita Derby (G1) could be on the itinerary.