Eddie D. Stakes | Horse Racing Free Tips

Lieutenant Dan Cruises In Eddie D. As Racing Returns To Santa Anita Hillside Course

Celebrated by racing fans nationwide, racing returned to Santa Anita's Camino Real hillside turf course in Arcadia, Calif., on Friday as California-bred Lieutenant Dan pressed the pace and took control turning for home en route to a half-length victory in the Grade 2, $200,000 Eddie D. Stakes. Ridden by Geovanni Franco, “Dan” got the “about” distance of 6 ½ furlongs down the hill on firm turf in 1:11.74.

Owned and bred by Nick Alexander, Lieutenant Dan sat a close third early to pacesetter Charmaine's Mia, who was pressed to her immediate outside by Law Abidin Citizen. Hand-ridden over the dirt crossing at the top of the stretch, Lieutenant Dan cruised to the lead and was never seriously challenged through the lane.

Off as the 5-2 favorite in a field of nine 3-year-olds and up, Lieutenant Dan, who notched his third consecutive victory today, paid $7.00, $3.80 and $3.20. The 5-year-old gelding by Alexander's stallion Grazen has now won eight of 16 career starts.

“It was so unexpected,” said Alexander of the horse's growing resume. “I think he was the seventh or eighth foal out of the mare (Excusabull), and the first seven did nothing so, we had very low expectations for this horse and he just continues to exceed them. He just loves to win.

“I love that turf course,” Alexander added. “We have always excelled on it and Grazen babies just seem to love that distance and that downhill. It is so beautiful.”

“He's a pretty fast horse and he's very versatile,” said Franco. “He broke sharp like he always does and put me in a nice spot where if they were going too slow, I could have gone and if they were going too fast, I could have sat back.

“All in all, he was the one taking me through the trip. At the end of the race he kept on going. I heard some noises of people coming but he never slowed down or waited for anybody.

“It was a great feeling to ride the hill again, it is definitely different than any other race or surface,” added Franco. “You have a lot of fun out there, especially when you have a horse like this one.”

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Highly accomplished Snapper Sinclair, who shipped in from Churchill Downs for Steve Asmussen, kept to his task from off the pace and finished second in a solid effort, finishing a neck in front of the Bob Hess, Jr. Chaos Theory. Off as the 7-2 second choice, he paid $4.40 and $3.20.

Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Chaos Theory was off at 36-1 and paid $10.80 to show while finishing a half length better than a late closing Gregorian Chant.

Fractions on the race were 21.61, 42.95 and 1:05.66.

The Eddie D is named for legendary retired Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye.

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Hurricane Ida Behind Him, Eddie D At Santa Anita In Spirit For Stakes In His Honor

Eddie Delahoussaye turned 70 on Sept. 21.

Time flies.

Seems like yesterday the Hall of Fame member and Louisiana native was roaring down the stretch at Santa Anita to capture another thrilling victory in a photo finish, or winning the Kentucky Derby back-to-back, on Gato Del Sol in 1982 and Sunny's Halo in 1983.

Delahoussaye is one of only seven jockeys to register consecutive triumphs in 147 editions of the Run for the Roses, the others being Isaac Murphy, Jimmy Winkfield, Ron Turcotte, Calvin Borel, Victor Espinoza and John Velazquez.

Arguably one of the most popular jockeys ever to ride at Santa Anita, Eddie D as he is known among racing aficionados, has been honored at The Great Place by having one of Friday's stakes races named for him.

The $200,000 Eddie D Stakes, for three-year-olds and up, marks a return to Santa Anita's unique hillside turf course at about 6 ½ furlongs, that venue having not been used since March 2019.

The Eddie D is one of four opening day stakes, three of them graded, including the Grade 1 American Pharoah for 2-year-olds at a mile and 1 1/16 miles and the Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes for two-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles. Although not graded, for good measure there's the $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes for two-year-olds at five furlongs on turf.

The latter three are Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge events giving the winner a fees-paid berth in their respective Breeders' Cup races Nov. 5 and 6 at Del Mar.

Due to Covid 19 both last year and this, and Hurricane Ida, a deadly and destructive Category 4 hurricane that ravaged Louisiana a month ago, Delahoussaye will miss being on hand to present a trophy to the winning connections of the Eddie D for the second year in a row.

But he and his family, wife Juanita, sister Rose Anne and daughter Mandy, who has special needs, escaped serious harm from the second-most damaging and intense hurricane ever to strike Louisiana.

“We got lucky,” Delahoussaye said by phone from his home in Lafayette. “People on both sides of us got hit the worst. We were right in the middle and had winds and rain, but nothing serious. Baton Rouge and most of the coast lines really got blasted.”

Meanwhile, Juanita and Mandy, now 46, are recovering from ailments unrelated to Ida, but otherwise, “Everything's OK. We're just getting older.

“I'm doing all right but Mandy's been sick for over a year,” said Delahoussaye, a Hall of Fame member since 1993 who retired early in 2003 with 6,384 victories after suffering head and neck injuries in a spill at Del Mar on Aug. 30, 2002. “She's still not 100 percent so we've been going through a lot with her, and Juanita had a rotator cuff operation six weeks ago, but she's getting better. I'm lucky my sister and I are healthy to help out.”

Eddie is still “fiddling around” with more than a visceral involvement in the bloodstock business and is a relatively new member of the Louisiana Racing Commission.

“A partner and I have a mare and Juanita and I have another mare, with some babies coming in,” Delahoussaye said. “One's in training right now and another we're putting in a two-year-old in training sale. I've been on the racing commission for about a year, so it all keeps me busy.”

Eddie still maintains contact with his Hall of Fame peers periodically as well.

“I talk with Chris (McCarron) once in a while, and I spoke with Alex (Solis) a couple months ago,” Eddie said. “He was in Florida with Jose Velez, so we got to chattin'.

“I talk to Pat Day once in a while but I haven't talked with Laffit (Pincay Jr.) lately. Usually, I do that once a year, but since the pandemic, I haven't talked to him at all the last two years.”

As to racing's future, what with members of the medical field, politicians and lawyers seemingly in the news as much if not more than the horses, Delahoussaye maintains a wait-and-see attitude.

“The way things are right now, with bad tests and so forth, that needs to be cleaned up,” he said with a hint of acuity. “They should reconsider the use of therapeutic medication being measured in picograms and nanograms which are so small it's almost out of a horse's system. Either we do with it or we do without it.

“If you do without it completely, we won't have racing, because let's face it: football players, baseball players, they all use therapeutic medicine. As long as it's not a stimulant to enhance performance and it's just to help them do what comes naturally, it should be used.

“Get rid of the clenbuterol that enhances their performance. Lasix is a diuretic and is not an enhancer, yet they want to do away with that.

“There are a lot of smart people out there and a lot of science. They can put their heads together and do it right.”

The Eddie D, race seven: Gregorian Chant, Juan Hernandez, 4-1; Caribou Club, Drayden Van Dyke, 6-1; Mesut, Umberto Rispoli, 12-1; Charmaine's Mia, Flavien Prat, 10-1; Law Abidin Citizen, Abel Cedillo, 5-1; Chaos Theory, Kent Desormeaux, 15-1; Lieutenant Dan, Geovanni Franco, 7-2; Whisper Not, John Velazquez, 6-1; and Snapper Sinclair, Joel Rosario, 4-1.

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Snapper Sinclair To Try Down The Hill In Friday’s Eddie D Stakes

The long wait is over. Idle since March of 2019, Santa Anita's legendary Camino Real Hillside Turf Course will play host to an outstanding opening day field of nine three-year-olds and up competing at about six and a half furlongs in Friday's Grade 2, $200,000 Eddie D Stakes. The Eddie D is one of four stakes on opening day of Santa Anita's 16-day Autumn Meet which will conclude on Oct. 31. Trainer Steve Asmussen's Midwest invader Snapper Sinclair and Phil D'Amato's locally based Gregorian Chant head what appears to be a very deep and diverse lineup.

One of the most popular races among fans and horsemen since December, 1953, the Camino Real hillside is a European style course with a panoramic start on Santa Anita's northern perimeter, hard by Colorado Place, an iconic stretch of roadway that was a part of America's original Route 66.

Once the horses are underway, they will negotiate a slight right-hand turn followed by a run “down the dip,” as Joe Hernandez, the original Voice of Santa Anita, used to describe horses as they ran down an undulating swale before emerging from behind a stand of trees en route to the quarter pole. From there, the field will cross the main track and then reunite with the “course proper” for what is often a thrilling stretch run.

Snapper Sinclair, a 6-year-old full horse by City Zip, comes off a three quarter length victory in a one-turn restricted stakes going a mile and 70 yards on turf at Kentucky Downs Sept. 8. Owned by Bloom Racing Stables, LLC, Snapper Sinclair, who ran fourth in 2019 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita, will be shipping in from his Churchill Downs base and be trying the Santa Anita turf for the first time and will be making his fifth start of the year.

Primarily campaigned at one mile on turf and dirt, Snapper Sinclair was a seven furlong turf stakes winner in his third career start on Sept. 6, 2017 at Churchill and he has not sprinted on turf or dirt since October 17, 2018 at Keeneland. With two wins from four starts this year, he's now banked $1,793,340 from an overall mark of 33-7-8-4.

Originally pegged as a long-fused turf runner, D'Amato's Gregorian Chant found a new lease on life sprinting out of Santa Anita's newly constructed turf chute this past winter. A winner of three consecutive six furlong turf stakes, including the Grade 3 San Simeon four starts back on March 13, Gregorian Chant, a 5-year-old English-bred gelding, was too close to the early pace in Belmont Park's Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes on June 5, finishing seventh, beaten 4 ¼ lengths at 5-1 going six furlongs over a turf that was listed as good.

In his most recent start, Gregorian Chant finished third, beaten 2 ½ lengths in Del Mar's five furlong turf Green Flash Handicap Aug. 22, a race that appeared a bit short for his late running style. Owned by Slam Dunk Racing, Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC and Michael Nentwig, Gregorian Chant will be trying Santa Anita's hillside turf for the first time with high expectations.

D'Amato will also be represented by the talented multiple stakes winning mare Charmaine's Mia, the lone distaffer in the field. A three-time graded stakes winner at six furlongs and one mile (twice) over the Santa Anita lawn, she too will be trying the hillside course for the first time. Owned by Agave Racing Stable, Medallion Racing and Rockin Robin Racing Stables, Charmaine's Mia, who had been campaigned primarily at Woodbine Racecourse in Toronto, joined D'Amato's stable late last year.

Idle since finishing sixth in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap at a mile and one sixteenth at Del Mar Aug. 7, Charmaine's Mia, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by The Factor, has not sprinted since winning her first start for D'Amato five starts back in the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes at six furlongs on turf here on Jan. 9.

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Although a bit long in tooth at age seven, trainer Mark Glatt's Law Abidin Citizen, idle since a close fourth on dirt in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes July 31 at Del Mar, is fresh, dangerous and has the distinction of having won the last race down the hill—the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes on March 31, 2019. A winner of four of eight starts over the hillside turf, this Twirling Candy gelding will be making his fourth start of the year as Glatt eyes the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in November. Owned by Dan Agnew, Gerry Schneider and John Xitco, Law Abidin Citizen rates a huge chance on Friday.

Glen Hill Farm's homebred Caribou Club, another 7-year-old gelding, has won two of his three starts down the hill, including his most recent, the Grade 3 Joe Hernandez Stakes on Jan. 1, 2019 when conditioned by Tom Proctor. Idle since a close fourth in an ungraded stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf July 17 at Gulfstream Park, Caribou Club will be making his fourth start of the year and his first for trainer Michael McCarthy. Caribou Club will be reunited for the first since 2017 with Drayden Van Dyke, who at that time guided him to a pair of wins from four starts.

Originally run as the Morvich Handicap in 1974, the Eddie D was renamed in 2012 to honor legendary retired Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye.

THE GRADE 2 EDDIE D STAKES WITH JOCKEY & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 9 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

Gregorian Chant—Juan Hernandez–126
Caribou Club—Drayden Van Dyke—126
Mesut—Umberto Rispoli—122
Charmaine's Mia—Flavien Prat—123
Law Abidin Citizen—Abel Cedillo—126
Chaos Theory—Kent Desormeaux—126
Lieutenant Dan—Geovanni Franco—126
Whisper Not—John Velazquez—126
Snapper Sinclair—Joel Rosario–124

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Santa Anita Re-Opens Hillside Turf Course For Autumn Meet

Santa Anita Park's 16-day Autumn Meet will get off to a fast start on Friday, Oct. 1, as a total of four stakes will be offered on a tremendous nine-race card. The Grade 1, $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes, one of three Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifiers, will headline the day's racing. Named for the 2015 Triple Crown Champion, the American Pharoah is a Breeders' Cup Win & You're In qualifier to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar on Nov. 5.

With first post time at 1 p.m., walk-up admission is welcomed, with free admission and General Parking on opening day. In addition to the American Pharoah, the Grade 2, $200,000 Eddie D Stakes, for 3-year-olds and up, will be contested at 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita's hillside turf course. Named for the legendary retired Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, the Eddie D provides a platform for those horses considering the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 6.

“Our fans, horsemen and Eddie Delahoussaye himself have told us they'd love to see a return to racing down this European-style course which has been unique to Santa Anita for more than six decades,” said Aidan Butler, Chief Operating Officer, Racing Operations for 1/ST Racing. “The Eddie D will be one of four turf sprint stakes to be run on the Camino Real hillside turf course throughout our Autumn Meet.”

Two-year-old fillies will go postward opening day in the Grade 2, $200,000 Chandelier Stakes, a Breeders' Cup Win & You're in qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 5 and 2-year-olds will also be competing at five furlongs on turf in the $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes, a Win & You're In qualifier to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 5.

With the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships set for Nov. 5 & 6 at Del Mar, Santa Anita will be offering a total of 14 stakes over the course of its opening weekend, Oct. 1 through Oct. 3.

With special early first post time at 12:30 p.m., a total of five stakes will be offered on Saturday, Oct. 2; the Grade 1, $300,000 Awesome Again, a Breeders' Cup Win & You're In qualifier to the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic for 3-year-olds and up at a mile and one eighth, the Grade 1, $300,000 Rodeo Drive, a Breeders' Cup Win & You're In qualifier for fillies and mares at a mile and one quarter on turf, the Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, Win & You're In qualifier for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs, the Grade 2, $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship, named for the legendary two-time Horse of the Year, is for 3-year-olds and up at a mile and one quarter on turf and the Grade 2, $200,000 City of Hope Mile (turf), for 3-year-olds and up.

On Sunday, Oct. 3, the legendary multiple Eclipse Award winning mare Zenyatta will be feted, with the Grade 2, $200,000 Zenyatta Stakes, a Win & You're In qualifier for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles who are pointing to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff. Fillies and mares will also be center stage in the Grade 3, $100,000 Chillingworth Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs, a race which honors the memory of longtime Oak Tree Racing Association board member and prominent owner/breeder, Sherwood Chillingworth.

A pair of one mile turf stakes will also be offered on Oct. 3 for 2-year-olds—the Surfer Girl and the Zuma Beach, as well as the $75,000 Unzip Me, for 3-year-old fillies at 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf.

In addition to the Eddie D and Unzip Me Stakes, a pair of Cal-bred stakes, the $100,000 California Distaff Handicap on Oct. 16 and the $100,000 California Flag Handicap on Oct. 17 will also be contested at 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf. Additionally, selected allowance races will be run down the hillside throughout the course of the 16-day meet.

Santa Anita's spacious Infield area will be open each Saturday and Sunday, through closing day, Oct. 31. For complete details on Santa Anita's opening weekend, including pricing and dining and seating reservations, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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