Promising turf juveniles line up in Eddie Logan; downhill
specialists clash in Daytona
Santa Anita Park will once again honor the memory of its iconic Shoeshine
Attendant, Eddie Logan, with the $75,000
Eddie
Logan Stakes for two-year-olds at one mile on turf Saturday. The Logan
attracted a field of eight, including trainer Eoin Harty’s Royal Banker, a fast
finishing third in the Generous Stakes November 30; trainer Simon Callaghan’s
Craftsman, who will make his U.S. debut Saturday following a Group 3 stakes win
in Ireland; and trainer Tom Proctor’s Enterprising, who was a smart maiden
special weight winner at a mile on turf November 16 at Hollywood Park.
Logan, who operated his shoeshine stand near the Santa Anita Racing Office
from December 25, 1934, until his passing at age 98 in January, 2009, was a
self-described “footman,” who endeared himself to thousands of fans and horsemen
spanning eight decades at The Great Race Place.
English-bred Royal Banker made his U.S. debut in the Generous, breaking
slowly from the rail and rallying from last to be beaten two lengths at odds of
6-1. He has had two works over the Hollywood Park Cushion Track since and will
again be ridden by Corey Nakatani. Royal Banker is owned by Wounded Warrior
Stables.
Craftsman is a highly regarded Irish-bred who broke his maiden at odds of 2-5
in a 13-horse field going seven furlongs on turf in Ireland three starts back.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien in Ireland, he was a one-length winner of the
Killavullan at Leopardstown on October 26 and figures to be forwardly placed
Saturday under Victor Espinoza. Craftsman has two wins, a second and a third
from four starts and is owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.
Glen Hill Farm’s homebred Enterprising was an impressive maiden special
weight winner in his second start and will again be handled by Gary Stevens. A
Florida-bred by Elusive Quality, Enterprising has worked five times over
Hollywood Park’s Cushion Track since his maiden score and appears primed for a
top effort.
The Mark Glatt-trained My Secret Affair comes off a facile 2 1/4-length
maiden special weight win in his third career start going six furlongs on the
Hollywood Park turf November 24 and could be the speed of the race. He’s owned
by Donkey Island Racing LLC or Glatt or Xitco and will be ridden for the first
time by Mike Smith.
The complete field for the Eddie Logan Stakes, to be run as the 4TH race on a
nine-race card Saturday, with jockeys, in post position order, all horses
assigned 118 pounds: Lucky Views, Joe Talamo; Enterprising, Stevens; Craftsman,
Espinoza; Flagman, Patrick Valenzuela; Morally Bankrupt, Brice Blanc; Noble
Metal, Rafael Bejarano; My Secret Affair, Smith, and Royal Banker, Nakatani.
Later on Saturday’s card, the Grade 3, $100,000
Daytona
Stakes has attracted a competitive field of eight, including hillside turf
course specialists Chips All In and Unbridled’s Note.
On the heels of a game nose win in the Eddie D. Stakes at about 6 1/2
furlongs down the hill September 27, Chips All In was supplemented at a cost of
$120,000 to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in his subsequent start, running a
disappointing ninth, beaten 3 3/4 lengths by champion Mizdirection.
In his most recent try, Chips All In was part of a three-way dead heat for
second in the six-furlong Hollywood Turf Express under Aaron Gryder on December
8. Trained by Jeff Mullins, four-year-old Chips All In has two wins and a second
from four hillside tries. He’s owned by Everest, O’Brien, Valdez and partners.
Third, beaten a half length as the 5-2 favorite in the Eddie D., the Steve
Asmussen-trained Unbridled’s Note ran a huge fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf
Sprint, beaten 1 3/4 lengths by Mizdirection. The four-year-old colt by
Unbridled’s Song then matched strides with Chips All In, dead-heating for second
as the even-money favorite in the Hollywood Turf Express.
Ridden by Nakatani in his last nine starts, Unbridled’s Note has two wins, a
second and a third from five tries down the hill. Owned by Mike McCarty,
Unbridled’s Note has amassed $576,683 in career earnings from an overall mark of
15-4-3-4.
Jerry Hollendorfer, who is enjoying the biggest year of his Hall of Fame
career, will send out California-bred Ain’t No Other, who will break from the
outside with Bejarano. A five-year-old Old Topper gelding bred by his owner,
Tommy Town Thoroughbreds LLC, Ain’t No Other won the state-bred Sensational Star
Stakes down the hillside on February 24, and was a close second as the 5-2
favorite in the California Flag Stakes on this course October 19.
Well beaten at 7-5 in the Oakland Stakes going six furlongs on Tapeta at
Golden Gate Fields November 16, Ain’t No Other faces a tall order in the
Daytona, but his career record of 7-1-2-1 down the hill offers encouragement, as
does the outside post and the presence of Bejarano.
Grade 2 veteran Handsome Mike also rates an upset chance for owner Reddam
Racing LLC and trainer Doug O’Neill. Third in the Vernon O. Underwood at
Hollywood Park November 28, Handsome Mike has a win from two starts down the
hill.
Trainer Mike Machowsky’s El Commodore has been showing good speed at middle
distances primarily on turf, and could be dangerous from the rail with Stevens
engaged to ride. A six-year-old gelding by El Prado, El Commodore is owned by
Arbitrage Stables or Gallegos or Kagele Brothers, Inc. He’s been a consistent
check-getter this year, with a win, three seconds and a third from 10 starts.
Saturday’s Daytona will be El Commodore’s first try down the hill.
The complete field for the Daytona Stakes, to be run as Saturday’s 8TH race,
with jockeys and weights in post position order: El Commodore, Stevens, 119;
Chips All In, Gryder, 124; Next Speaker, Talamo, 117; Unbridled’s Note, Nakatani,
119; Handsome Mike, Mario Gutierrez, 121; Gallant Son, Isaias Enriquez, 119;
Truest Legend, Blanc, 119, and Ain’t No Other, Bejarano, 119.
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