The Lead:
Opening weekend of the Santa Anita autumn meet is loaded with Breeders' Cup prep intrigue. Saturday's card includes 5 stakes with top turf sprinters clashing mid-card in the Eddie D, named for Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, who had a penchant for frantic finishes. Expect this one to live up to the namesake firing down the hillside turf course.
Horseplayers at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet can take advantage of a $10,000 Exacta-Thon promotion for Santa Anita on Saturday.
Field Depth:
Grade 2 winners FIRST PEACE and SORRENTO SKY have won at the level. SUMTER (pictured)and FREEDOM'S NOT FREE are Grade 3 winners and Grade 2-placed. Several of these runners are evenly matched in terms of schedule strength overall.
Pace:
LATER THAN PLANNED adds blinkers and should be part of the early mix that includes VIRAT from the outside. For a downhill turf sprint, the pace isn't dizzying.
Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.
1-SUMTER: Last 4 downhill turf sprints have netted a stakes win and 3 stakes runner-ups, despite a seemingly ugly 9: 1-3-1 overall mark at the trip. Struggles to win big races back-to-back, which may excuse his last, flat effort at Del Mar and put him squarely on the radar off a bullet workout on the training track for this. Jockey Mike Smith won this race in 2016, 2023 and 2024 and a fourth win would tie Kent Desormeaux's race record. The '23 score came for trainer Richard Mandella with Lane Way.
2-LATER THAN PLANNED: The last 3-year-old to win the Eddie D was Home Run Kitten in 2014, 1 of 3 occasions in the past 30 years. No match for several of these in a similar spot in June's Daytona and will add blinkers in hopes of a perk-up while ambitiously placed to this eye. Trainer Phil D'Amato won this race in 2019 (Pee Wee Reese).
3-FREEDOM'S NOT FREE: The Mark Glatt barn goes for a third Eddie D win in the last 5 years, winning in 2022 and 2024. Rallying, nose winner of the Daytona here in June rematches with several of those rivals. While not necessarily a downhill turf sprint specialist, his 5: 4-0-1 ledger on the SA lawn stands out and note that sharpened 4-year-olds have the Eddie D 3 of the last 4 years. Juan Hernandez won this race aboard Big Runneur in 2020. Huge threat late.
4-AMORITA: Western Approach in 1993 remains the only filly to win the Eddie D. She's winless in 4 downhill turf sprints but has a couple of stakes runner-ups to show for it. Not sure why they opted for a dirt route at Del Mar last out and now comes back 3 weeks later against the boys in another curious spot. Not for me.
5-NESSO'S LASTHARRAH: 19-1 allowance upsetter on dirt at Del Mar last out did win a downhill turf sprint at Santa Anita in the sprint vs. lesser. No-threat fifth here in the Eddie D last fall and has been sixth, 10th and 11th in her 3 stakes bids since then. Not for me.
6-SORRENTO SKY: Tabbed him as a nice 7-1 winner in the Green Flash at Del Mar as he snapped a 10-race losing streak that witnessed several narrow losses. Really liked the way he finished up in his allowance prep to the Green Flash and he continued that fine closing form. Third in this race last year and a return to the ticket Saturday won't be a surprise. Be price sensitive; last time's good play at 7-1 should be close to those odds again to back in this race.
7-PURE MADNESS: Trainer Brian Koriner campaigned star turf sprinter California Flag to 3 victories in the Eddie D (2008, 2009, 2011). Pure Madness has been equally competent on turf and dirt, short and long, witnessed by a 7: 4-3-0 record that leaves little to criticize. This will be the lightly raced 5-year-old's first matchup in an open stakes and first time against many of these familiar turf sprint stakes rivals. Won't be surprised if he's in the mix from the start and sticking around to the wire. Jockey Armando Ayuso won this race a year ago aboard Reef Runner.
8-FIRST PEACE: Veteran Eddie D performer won this race in 2024 and was a flat seventh as the favorite last year in his title defense. The 6-year-old has lost all 3 starts this season and loses longtime pilot Mike Smith on Saturday to Sumter. Fear not on the pilot, though, as Joel Rosario takes the mount after a strong Del Mar summer and long history of turf sprint success. Note his last 2 losses at Del Mar were around 2 turns. On his best, First Peace rates as one of the best downhill turf sprinters active and, as noted, Mark Glatt has won this 2 of the last 4 years. The last 2 times this horse went route-to-sprint, he won the 2024 Eddie D and finished a close second in the 2024 Siren Lure over the same trip. Fair to question if he's the same horses as 2024, but Glatt is going to a successful form cycle repeat to find out. Mixed vibes.
9-VIRAT: Lightning early in the Green Flash at Del Mar before setting for third at 11-1 odds. He's cross-entered in the Great West Turf Sprint at Remington Park on Sunday's Oklahoma Derby Day card. While just 1 win in his last 8 starts, his recent form has been on the uptick. Jockey Paco Lopez picking up the mount is significant as he's arguably the best turf sprint rider in America (certainly a top-3 discussion with Irad Ortiz Jr. and Joel Rosario).
Most Likely Exotics Contender:
SUMTER has been dialed in at this trip and signalled his readiness with a big work Sunday.
Best Longshot Contender:
Outside posts are an edge down the hill and the lack of early pace in here could give VIRAT every chance to take them as far as he can and hold for a piece of the exotics at a double-digit price.
Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$50 win SUMTER. $10 exacta key-box SUMTER with FREEDOM'S NOT FREE and PURE MADNESS ($40). $10 exacta SUMTER over VIRAT.
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