Sunday's 49th edition of the $250,000 Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar has proven a popular nine-furlong spin on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course, drawing the maximum number of runners with 11 and one more besides who sits and waits on the also-eligible list.
The Grade 2 Read is named for the seaside track's first director of public relations, a role he filled exceptionally well for several decades. He helped get the track off the ground and flying high soon thereafter. His son, Tim, worked at the track for 50 years with the last few decades in the role of chief of operations. The Reads certainly have left their mark at turf and surf central.
Sunday's renewal has a likely favorite in C R K Stable's multiple-stakes winner Beyond Brilliant, a quick-footed son of Twirling Candy who has shown an affinity for the turf and comes into the feature off a smart score in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at Santa Anita on April 30.
Trainer John Shirreffs has named Hall of Fame rider Victor Espinoza to handle the 4-year-old Kentucky-bred and they'll break from Post 3 in the lineup coming out of Del Mar's diagonal infield chute.
Here's the full field for the Read from the rail out with riders and morning line odds: Rockingham Ranch's Masteroffoxhounds (Juan Hernandez up, 8-1); Madaket Stables, Dubb or Strauss' Cash Equity (Florent Geroux, 12-1); Beyond Brilliant (5-2); Wertheimer & Frere's Ecrivain (Hector Berrio, 15-1); Calumet Farm's Tango Tango Tango (Declan Cannon, 8-1); Cannon Thoroughbreds' There Goes Harvard (Diego Herrera, 4-1); Nice Guys Stables' King Cause (Joe Bravo, 20-1); Team Valor International's Homer Screen (Drayden Van Dyke, 20-1); Anastasai, Ukegawa or Valezza's Hong Kong Harry (Ramon Vazquez, 7-2); Steve Moger's Tarantino (Armando Ayuso, 15-1); and Sterling Stables, Nentwig or CYBT's Cathkin Peak (Umberto Rispoli, 4-1).
The also eligible is Diaz, Valdes Baalbek Corporation or Don Alberto's Master Piece (Able Cedillo, 15-1).
Chief threats to the likely favorite appear to be Hong Kong Harry, There Goes Harvard and Cathkin Peak.
Hong Kong Harry is a 5-year-old gelding by the Irish stallion Es Que Love who has a perfect three-for-three record since coming over to the U.S. from Great Britain this year. Trainer Phil D'Amato won the Grade 3 American Stakes with him on the grass at Santa Anita on June 19 and is now stepping up to take on tougher.
There Goes Harvard comes out of a smart score in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on May 30. The Will Take Charge 4-year-old colt has been first, second or third in 11 of his 12 lifetimes starts and sports a bankroll of $455,090. He's trained by Mike McCarthy.
Cathkin Peak, another Irish-bred, won an allowance race at the feature's distance on June 18 at Santa Anita in his first start of 2022. He, too, is trained by D'Amato and has made all of his nine lifetime starts on the lawn.
The Read goes as Race 9 on the 11-race Sunday card. First post is 2 p.m.
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