Maidens C.J.'s Honour, Atswhatimtalknbout Win

In a pair of high-priced maiden special weight events at Santa Anita Saturday, Fog City Stable's C.J.'s Honour and B. Wayne Hughes' Atswhatimtalknbout posted impressive victories.

Atswhatimtalknbout, a 3-year-old colt by A.P. Indy purchased by Hughes for $900,000 in the Fasig-Tipton Florida sale in February, turned in an eye-catching performance in the day's sixth race, closing from far behind on the inside.

David Flores brought the Ron Ellis trainee, the 3-2 favorite, through heavy traffic to tally narrowly over Buckland Manor in a six-furlong time of 1:10.30. Among the high-priced entries in the field was Aaron and Marie Jones' debuting Unbridled's Comet, purchased for $1.9 million at Keeneland in July 2001, who was out of the money.
In the fourth race, 4-year-old C.J.'s Honour, a $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga August yearling purchase, surprised a field that included his much more expensive stablemate, Distinction, a $4.2 million buy from the same sale. Distinction, by Seattle Slew, lost for the eighth consecutive time.

Also in the field were the Jones' Timber Legend, a $1 million Storm Cat 4-year-old from the Keeneland July 2000 sale, who finished fourth; stablemate Timber Cruiser, by Saint Ballado for $575,000 from the same Keeneland auction, who finished last; and Judge of Character, a Saint Ballado 4-year-old who cost $750,000 at Barretts in March 2001, who was eighth of 10 runners.

C.J.'s Honour, a 4-year-old bay by Honour And Glory from the Quack mare Readout, was ridden by Kent Desormeaux for trainer Robert Hess Jr., paying $14.60 for the win. The final time for 6 1/2 furlongs was 1:16.81.

(Chart, Equibase)