Attentive to the pace throughout, longshot Jimmy Blue Jeans was all heart late as he held off heavily favored None About the Law by a neck in Saturday's $150,000 Snow Chief Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by Golden Gate Fields-based Andy Mathis and ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Jimmy Blue Jeans got 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.69.
Second, just off the hip of early pacesetter Found My Ball, Jimmy Blue Jeans seemed relaxed while into a rhythmic stride up the backside, took command a sixteenth of a mile from home and prevailed under the veteran Desormeaux, who notched his 147th career stakes win at Santa Anita.
“I only spoke to the assistant (trainer) and he told me to just try to get him home and he'll probably be forwardly placed and just try to enjoy the ride,” said Desormeaux, who was aboard for the first time today. “That's all he said. This ride started two or three days ago, I was a tour guide for the owners. I had to show them where to get licensed and everything, so this is a nice omen, I think is what it is.”
Well beaten by None Above the Law two starts back going one mile on synthetic Tapeta at Golden Gate April 25, Jimmy Blue Jeans came off a first condition allowance win at one mile on turf at Golden Gate on May 16 and was off at 15-1 in a field of nine California-bred or sired 3-year-olds and returned $33.40, $10.60, and $6.80 .
A 3-year-old gelding by James Street, out of the Marino Marini mare Blue Blizzard, Jimmy Blue Jeans is owned by his owner/breeders Perry Bruno and John Gezon. With his first stakes win, “Jimmy” bagged $90,000 on the day and increased his earnings to $143,646.
“This is the biggest race I've won yet,” said Bruno, who made the trip with an entourage from his home in Salt Lake City, Utah. “It's like surreal, it's so good, it's like a dream. I'm just a small guy who owns a couple of mares with my partner, John Gezon.”
Ridden by Flavien Prat, None Above the Law was mid-pack most of the trip, had to wait for room between horses turning for home and flew late to just miss. Off at even money, he paid $2.80 and $2.40.
Ferrariano, ridden by Abel Cedillo, finished a nose back in third and paid $5.20 to show while off at 12-1.
Fractions on the race were 23.06, 47.60, 1:11.86 and 1:36.69.
The Snow Chief is part of the lucrative Golden State Series. Sponsored by the CTBA, the Snow Chief is for eligible California-bred or sired horses.
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