Gold Rush V

Benoit Photo
$250,000 Citibank Snow Chief Stakes
CHEIRON

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Apr. 24, 2004) – Lukewarm 9-5 favorite Cheiron split horses in deep stretch Saturday to win the $250,000 Citibank Snow Chief Stakes for California-bred 3-year-olds, the feature race on the Gold Rush V card at Hollywood Park.

The son of Maria’s Mon is out of the Wild Again mare Fortunee, was bred by The Thoroughbred Corp. and is owned by Noctis LLC, Papiano & Taub. He ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.78, bettering the stakes record of 1:49 set last year by Chief Planner, and won by 1 ½ lengths.

Cheiron was ridden by Alex Solis (his second win on the card) and was trained by Kristin Mulhall. He could be seen next at the Preakness.

“He’s a very brave horse,” said Solis. “I was trapped actually, and I saw a little hole. If I didn’t go through there, I never would have won. When I asked him, he went for it. He pushed himself through there and was very brave.

“This is a very nice horse. Today was the first time I had ever seen him. But looking at his races in the Racing Form, he looked like the best horse in the race. He had run with better horses. And he showed it today.”

The win was the third in nine starts and the first in a stakes for Cheiron, who was coming off a fourth in the Grade II San Felipe. The $150,000 first-place purse nearly doubled his career earnings to $305,880. The gray colt also was second in the Sunshine Millions Dash, his only other stakes appearance.

Multiple stakes-winning pacesetter Don’tsellmeshort was second and Southern Outlaw was third.

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