B Squared, Milton Freewater head wide open edition of Snow Chief

A recent one mile turf stakes winner and a nose away from being undefeated in three starts, Reddam Racing’s homebred B Squared, along with stablemate Milton Freewater and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer’s Elwood J, head a wide open field of 13 California-bred or sired 3-year-olds in Monday’s $200,000 Snow Chief Stakes, to be run at 1 1/8 miles over the Santa Anita turf.

Trained by Doug O’Neill, B Squared defeated Elwood J by 1 ¼ lengths in Golden Gate Fields’ one mile turf Silky Sullivan Stakes versus statebreds on April 30 while O’Neill’s Milton Freewater comes off a close second against open company in a 1 1/16 miles allowance on the main track here April 29.

Trained by Melvin F. Stute, Snow Chief, who was voted America’s Eclipse Champion 3-year-old for 1986, won that year’s Santa Anita, Florida, El Camino Real and Jersey Derbies.Owned by Carl Grinstead and Ben Rochelle, he stands as one of the all-time great California-breds with career record of 24-13-3-5 and earnings of $3,383,210.

B SQUARED: A bay colt by Square Eddie out of the Ten Most Wanted mare Silar Rules, he was an easy first-out maiden winner going seven furlongs here on March 4 and was subsequently second, beaten a nose, in the 6 ½ furlong Echo Eddie Stakes versus statebreds on April 8. Blessed with an abundance of early speed, look for him to be on or near the early Snow Chief lead with Mario Gutierrez up.

MILTON FREEWATER: An even ninth two starts back in the Grade I Santa Anita Derby, this Gray colt by Creative Cause rallied well from off the pace to be second, beaten a half length in an open first condition allowance at 1 1/16 miles on April 29—a race that could point him out as the horse to beat in the Snow Chief.Owned by Kramer Racing, Sheep Pond Partners, Jaime, et al, “Milton” was sold privately following a first-out maiden win going 4 ½ furlongs in April, 2016 at Los Alamitos.Two-time stakes placed versus statebreds, he has an overall mark of 9-2-2-3.

ELWOOD J: Perhaps the quickest of the quick, this 3-year-old Vronsky gelding will be trying two turns for only the second time as he tries to turn the tables on B Squared.Owned by Joe L. Turner, he was bred in California by Old English Rancho and Patsy and Sal Berumen.He’ll get the service for the first time of “Big Money” Mike Smith and has an overall record of 9-2-1-3.

THE $200,000 SNOW CHIEF STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 9 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

1.   Calli Way—Rafael Bejarano—122

2.   B Squared—Mario Gutierrez—124

3.   Alsatian—Kent Desormeaux—120

4.   Accountability—Corey Nakatani—120

5.   Elwood J—Mike Smith—122

6.   Cheekaboomboom—Flavien Prat—120

7.   Dr. Troutman—Edwin Maldonado—120

8.   Ninety Nine Proof—Gary Stevens—120

9.   Milton Freewater—Tiago Pereira—122

10. Marckie’s Water—Joe Talamo—120

11. More Power to Him—Kyle Frey—122

ALSO ELIGIBLE

Highlight Show—Victor Espinoza—120

Kings River King—Tyler Baze—120