Eddie D Stakes– Grade II
1 1/4 Mile Turf Graded Stake Purse $200.00 Three-Year-Olds And Upward. At SA

My apologies for this brief article, but there was some sort of glitch that ate all my nearly-done horse-by-horse text, leaving me with neither the time nor the energy to start over, so I do hope you enjoy this.

Here’s the Eddie D Stakes Handicap:

Horse                                  Owner                              Odds    SRF

I Miss Texas                        Jediminds Stable               *6-5      101

Afro Cuban Jazz                 High Voltage                       8-1       101

Nitro                                     The Sidley Stud                  2-1        99

Douda                                 Spankys Barn                     3-1        97

Penal Hockey Party            Maxmillion Farm                 4-1        99

Powerful Explosion            Maxmillion Farm                 5-1        97

Travis Mathew                    Nakamura Stables              6-1        95

The Mercy                           Waldo                               10-1        96

Street Magician                  Angelos Stable                 20-1        96

Red Font                              High Voltage                     20-1        95

I Miss Texas is the only runner in the field with recent experience racing on SA’s pastoral downhill course and it’s a win in the Grade III Daytona Stakes. He has deep closing running style that this course favors which will help in the stretch of this race. In second, I have Afro Cuban Jazz which will likely be a bit of a longshot, dropped to the five-furlong Grade II Green Flash Handicap at DMR finishing third with the deep closing style that works so well on the SA downhill. I think with an extra furlong and a half and his style, he could be a real upset chance. Nitro, for the last nine races, has been a devoted turf sprinter and, if I could erase those last three races, he would be the favourite off the second in the Grade I Jaipur, the win in the Grade II TS Turf Sprint and the second in the Grade II Shakertown. Following Nitro, I like Douda topping the also-rans, although this one just won the five-furlongs Grade II Highlander Stakes at WO and closed well in the 5 1/2 furlongs  Grade II Troy at SAR. Venerable Penal Hockey Party has been running nothing but routes lately but can never be ignored at any distance. Powerful Explosion has been running routes lately but won a six-furlong sprint on the flat at SA last time he was here, while Travis Mathew dropped down from routes to miss a win by a nose in a pricey SAR 5 1/2 furlong allowance race. The Mercy ran his entire life in dirt routes until his last race when he tried a 5 1/2 furlong turf race at ELP and scored a one-length win. Neither Street Magician nor Red Font have ever run on grass, so it will be interesting to see their reaction. Street Magician comes into this race off back-to-back wins at six furlongs, while Red Font was still running routes.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES