Chandtrue Is True to Form

Trainer Bob Hess Jr. was adamant about Chandtrue’s immediate future after the 2-year-old colt did the expected and won the $104,272 Hollywood Juvenile Championship Saturday at Hollywood Park.

After a busy spring and early summer, Hess said the son of Yes It’s True won’t run again until the $250,000 Del Mar Futurity, the main event on the seaside track’s closing day on Sept. 8.

Chandtrue, who was purchased for $130,000 as a yearling, certainly has earned some rest. The Juvenile win was his fourth since April 29 with three of the victories coming in stakes.

The 3-10 favorite against only three opponents after the scratch of Gentleman Count was third down the backside early under new jockey Victor Espinoza, loomed up on the outside to challenge 19-10 second choice Actxecutive and went on to win by a half-length. He completed the six furlongs in 1:10.88, about a second slower than Souvenir’s Gift, a 2-year-old filly, needed to win the Landaluce 12 days earlier.

“I was nervous today, then I got really, really nervous when I saw how good Actxecutive looked in the receiving barn,” Hess said.

“[Chandtrue] had to struggle around the turn to get to [Actxecutive] and he didn’t blow right by him. When he got to the front, I liked the fact it looked like he pulled himself up a little bit and had something left, but the fact that he had to struggle bothered me a little.”

Actxecutive was fourth as the even-money favorite in the Haggin, which was won by Chandtrue on June 20, but he ran much better Saturday. He finished seven lengths clear of Commandant and Great Power finished last.

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Yearly Report, the 2-5 favorite, beat 7-1 longshot Ender’s Sister by a length to win the $500,900 Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park.

Owned by Betty Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm and trained by Bob Baffert, the 3-year-old General Meeting filly ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.80 under jockey Jerry Bailey. It was the fifth victory in six starts for the California-bred.

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Kicken Kris, the 13-10 favorite, won for the first time in 2004, beating 8-1 longshot Better Talk Now by 1 1/2 lengths in the $150,000 Bowling Green Handicap at Belmont Park.

Owned by Brushwood Stable and trained by Michael Matz, the 4-year-old son of Kris S. ran the 1 1/4 miles on turf in 2:12.19 under jockey Edgar Prado.

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Intelligent Male, an 18-1 longshot, survived a stewards’ inquiry and won the $150,000 Jewel, the richest race in the Claiming Crown at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn.

A race earlier, favored Stage Player and jockey Tyler Baze won the $125,000 Emerald. Other winners were: Superman Can ($50,000 Iron Horse), Chisholm ($50,000 Express), Banished Lover ($75,000 Glass Slipper) and Heroic Sight ($100,000 Rapid Transit).

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Thunder Twice, a 7-year-old Thunder Gulch gelding, finally broke his maiden in his 52nd career start, beating five others in the first race at Hollywood Park.

Juan Leyva rode the 9-1 longshot for co-owner and trainer Ken Nettles. Thunder Twice had finished second four times and third on six other occasions before winning Saturday.