Spring House wins at Santa Anita February 23rd, 2009
Spring House held off Church Service by a half length to win the $150,000 San Luis Obispo Handicap Sunday at Santa Anita for the second straight year.
Spring House, ridden by Alex Solis, ran the 1 1/2 -miles in 2:27.26, just .05 seconds slower than last year.
He was on the bit the whole way, Solis said. And when that hole opened up in the stretch, he went though it like a bullet.
Spring House is only the second horse to win the event in back-to-back years, joining Great Communicator, who won in 1988 and 1989.
Spring House paid $15.20, $7.20 and $5.20. Church Service, ridden by Rafael Bejarano, returned $6.60 and $4. Attempted Humor, with Mike Smith atop, paid $6.60.
Trained by Julio Canani for co-breeder R. D. Hubbard, Spring House had registered a single victory in seven starts, the Grade II Del Mar Handicap, since taking last years San Luis Obispo.
I learned quite a bit about him the last two times I rode him, Solis said, but Julio has been working with him, and, in his last two works, hes figured out what he needed. Hes always had a lot of class.
The repeat was worth $90,000 for Spring House, which elevated his lifetime earnings to $838,284 from an 8-5-11 in 38 starts.