After four ranking I wins along with four classification wins, CRK Stable’s Express train (Union Rags) finally achieved a Grade I to call his own when he caught the Santa Anita H. presented by Yaamava’ Resort & Casino in dramatic fashion on Saturday. He is also correcting another overdue omission in giving coach John Shirreffs, who has Nominated for this week’s Hall of Fame, his first Big ‘Cap win. However, victory does not come easily when the Express has to fight the long way with Warrant (Organization) and connections had to sweat for a photo that proved him a winner by head.
Rated as a lover of even money, the Express runs right out of the gate, settling on an exterior of about three units, just a few blocks from the front. The field of seven horses is still knit together like Spielberg (Union Rags) and the American Theorem (American pharoah) led the way with the first quarter at: 23:30 at: 45.97. Express Train began entering a half and soon joined Warrant as a joint third. More prominent in the first leg, the Express was faster and followed closely with Warrant, who also accelerated and took the lead. The two set off together when the Express took command, but Warrant wasn’t done yet. The two competed across the lane, never more than a head apart for the last quarter of a mile, but the Express wouldn’t be overtaken in the stretch and the ropes were the best. SW & MGISP Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) tries, who succeeded after Life Is Good (Into Mischief), Flightline (Tapit), and Medina Spirit (Protonico) in three of his last four Class I starts, fell back nine-thirds.
“It feels great,” Shirreffs said. “It’s just thrilling, exciting, amazing. You dream about winning the Santa Anita Handicap and actually it happens and with a horse like the Express who does everything [right] along the way. He took small steps, big steps. He has participated in all the major races we have on West Bank and he was there and showed up. For him to win the Santa Anita Handicap, it was thrilling.”
On the charts 14 of 17 appearances in his life, the two-match unbeaten Express starts this year and won the last three. He won against Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) on Santa Anita’s opening day at GII San Antonio S. another San Pasqual and GII San Diego H. Though he didn’t win in the previous three 10 tries. That, including a runner-up in last year’s Big ‘Cap, he entered Saturday’s race brilliantly with that winning streak and a year-long bullet in: 59/5 ( 1/61) Feb. 21. He’s only raced in classified shares as of fall 2020 and hasn’t had a Under-90 Beyer Speed Figure since December 2020, with four triple-digit Beyers.
“The express train is amazing,” said winning racer Victor Espinoza. “John Shirreffs has done an incredible job with this horse. Being able to keep him on track and train him to race requires teamwork. John Shirreffs has a great team and everyone matters. It makes my job easier when it comes to racing. ”
Genealogical notes:
Although the top three earners for Union Rags all excelled in California – Express Train, Paradise Woods, and Cruiser Catalina–The concubine of Lane’s End is by no means a one-kick horse. He already has a 2-year-old pony that won a Class I award, as well as two 2-year-old puppies that won a Class I prize, a 3-year-old colt that won a Class I prize and is now an older horse that won a Class I prize. . He ranked the winners on land and grass, short and long. Along the way, he amassed 13 winners ranked out of 23 winners of his black type.
Interestingly, the two best sons of the flashy bay so far – Express and Cruiser Catalina–Is both of them Mineshaft mare. Mineshaft side by side Union Rags at Lane’s End, same thing Cruiser Catalina. Mineshaftwho has 44 bet winners among his daughters, is the son of the late AP Indy of Lane’s End, while Union Rags was the son of the late Dixie Union of Lane’s End, of Lane’s End’s Dixieland Band.
Dixiana Farms purchased I’m a Flake, the dam of the Express Train, for $290,000 at its November 2011 sale in Keeneland while riding a pony to Tiznow. She’s had a barren two years after the Express, but has a 2020 pony named Union Express (Urge) and a 2021 pony of Union Rags. Union Express is the September purchase of Keeneland for $300,000 by Mayberry Farm, who purchased Express Trains in the same sale in 2018 for $500,000. I am a bred Flake Munnings for this spring. She’s outside of MGISW November Snow (Storm Cat), who sold at the height of her power for $1.75 million as a pony to AP Indy and for $100,000 at the sale. January 2008 of Keeneland while carrying I’m a Flake. November, Snow is not only a fever of the Express, but also of GI winner Carter H. Morning Line (Tiznow).
Saturday, Santa Anita
SANTA ANITA H. BY YAAMAVA ‘RESORT & CASINO-GI’$651,000, Santa Anita, 3-5, 4yo/up, 1 1/4 4m, 2:03.22, ft.
first-EXPRESS TRAIN, 124, h, 5, by Union Rags
First beat: I’m a Flake, by Mineshaft
2nd dam: November Snow, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: Princess Alydar, by Alydar
GRADE 1 I WIN. ($500,000 Ylg ’18 HOLD). OC RK is stable
Co., Ltd; B-Dixiana Farms LLC (KY); T-John A. Shirreffs; J-Victor
Espinoza. $390,000. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 17-7-4-3, $1,325,800.
Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click to view
eNicks report and pedigree of 5 children.
2-Certificate121, c, 4, Organization–Whisper Number, according to First
Samurai. TYPE 1ST G1 BLACK. O-Twin Creeks Raceway,
Co., Ltd; B-Twin Creeks Farm (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $130,000.
3–Stilleto boy121, g, 4, Shackleford – Rosie’s Ransom, by
Get married. ($420,000 3yo’ 21 FTKHRA). O-Steve Moger;
B-John Kerber & Iveta Kerber (KY); T-Ed Moger, Jr., $78,000.
Margins: HD, 9, 1 1/4. Odds: 1.10, 4.30, 2.20.
Also Ran: Spielberg, Why Why Paul Why, American Theorem, Soy Tapatio. Scratches: Kiss Today Goodbye.
Click to view Equibase.com chartthe PP of TJCIS.com or Free Equineline.com catalog style genealogy. VIDEO sponsored by TVG.
