Call 'em the Sunshine Boys. Hall of Famers Richard Mandella, 71, and Mike Smith, 58, combined more than 90 years of racing experience as they teamed for victory in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Eddie D Stakes at Santa Anita, as veteran 6-year-old gelding Lane Way attended the pace and kept grinding his way to a half-length score, getting 6 ½ furlongs out of the turf chute in 1:14.47.
Named for the legendary Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, the Eddie D was moved from the hillside turf course to the turf chute earlier in the day due to approximately two-fifths of an inch of rain.
Breaking sharply, Lane Way was a joint third, about 2 ½ lengths off longshot Noble Reflection, as the field crossed the main track shortly after the break. Smith was then able to work his way closer at the rail in the run to the far turn and was a length off the leader to his outside turning for home. From there, he kept to his task, gaining the ascendancy a sixteenth out.
Away five months prior to finishing fifth in Del Mar's Grade 3 Green Flash Handicap at five furlongs Sept. 2, Lane Way was off as 9-5 favorite in a field of 11 and returned $5.60, $3.00 and $2.60.
A Kentucky-bred by Into Mischief, Lane Way is owned by MyRacehorse, which had about 150 people in the Winner's Circle. In garnering his first graded stakes win, Lane Way earned $120,000 and improved his overall race record to 19-5-6-5.
French-bred Bran, about two lengths off the lead at the top of the lane, finished well, prevailing by a nose over Noble Reflection for second money. Off at 7-2 with Juan Hernandez, Bran paid $4.00 and $2.60.
Off at 15-1 with Mario Gutierrez, Noble Reflection paid $6.80 to show while finishing a half length better than Irish-bred I'm A Gambler.
Fractions on the Eddie D, run over at turf listed as good, were 23.39, 45.86 and 1:08.49.
JOCKEY QUOTES
MIKE SMITH, LANE WAY, WINNER: “It is just an honor to win the Eddie D Stakes I look up to him and still do. I tried to ride him like he would so I come in and nail them at the last part. Just going from the five to the six, six and a half it is just much better for him. He was just coming off a layoff last time, he made a nice late run but he got a little tired in the end. He got so much out of that, and he should get so much out of this, it should put us right where we need to be come Breeders' Cup time.
“Mr. Mandella and his crew they did all the work.”
TRAINER QUOTES
RICHARD MANDELLA, LANE WAY, WINNER: “He is just a really nice horse. We gave him a good rest. Kind of planned to get him at his best at this time of year and it worked. It doesn't always, but it worked this time.”
(ON SWITCHING THE RACE TO THE CHUTE ON THE TURF): “No. I was just hoping for some good luck because he's kind of plagued with bad luck in some of his races. Today went perfect.”
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