ARCADIA, Calif. (May 25, 2023) – With last year’s champion Cal-bred older male, The Chosen Vron, running in the Thor’s Echo, Sunday’s $100,000 Crystal Water Stakes for Golden State Series eligibles at Santa Anita still figures to be a battle, with defending champ Carmelita’s Man and Grade II winner None Above the Law still in the lineup.
Kings River Knight is by Acclamation, out of the Poteen mare Seasontoperfection, was bred by Old English Rancho, is owned by Integrity Thoroughbred Racing, The Ellwood Johnston Trust and Kenneth Tevelde and is trained by John Sadler. He has three wins in eight starts, earnings of $176,260 and is coming off a second in the Mar. 19 Sensational Star.
Coalinga Road is by Quality Road, out of the Johannesburg mare Coco Ecolo, was bred by owner Harris Farms and is trained by Carla Gaines. He has four wins in 21 starts, earnings of $396,234 and is coming off a fourth in a May 7 allowance.
None Above the Law is by Karakontie, out of the Northern Afleet mare Legally Blanca, was bred by owners J. Kirk and Judy Robison and is trained by Peter Miller. He has six wins in 22 starts, earnings of $520,060 and is making his first start since a fourth in the Nov. 19 Cary Grant. He scratched from Sunday’s $100,000 Thor’s Echo to run here.
Indian Peak is by Comic Strip, out of the Roar mare Ms. Roar, was bred by Dr. & Mrs. William Gray, is owned by Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber and trained by Peter Miller. He has six wins in 30 starts, earnings of $455,122 and is coming off a third in the Apr. 23 Siren Lure. He is also entered in Saturday’s Daytona Stakes.
Bang for Your Buck is by Unusual Heat, out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Seekitana, was bred by owners Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Shapiro and is trained by Daniel Azcarate. He has two wins in 21 starts, earnings of $206,340 and is coming off a fourth in a Feb. 4 optional claimer.
Carmelita’s Man is by Mucho Macho Man, out of the North Light mare Carmelita, was bred by Richard Barton Enterprises & Richard Traynor, is owned by Lawrence & Ann Jett and trained by Dean Pederson. He has seven wins in 25 starts, earnings of $457,170 and is coming off a seventh in an Apr. 8 optional claimer. He won this race last year.
The Chosen Vron was entered in the race, but is expected to run instead in the Thor’s Echo. He is by Vronsky, out of the Tiz Wonderful mare Tiz Molly, was bred by Tiz Molly Partners, is owned by Sondereker Racing LLC, trainer J. Eric Kruljac, Robert Fetkin and Richard Thornburgh. He has 11 wins in 15 starts, earnings of $732,678 and has won his last six starts, all stakes.