Eddie D. Stakes
RETURN OF THE HILL LIEUTENANT DAN ON MANEUVERS IN DOWNHILL EDDIE D.
BY TRACY GANTZ
© BENOIT PHOTOS
W
hether the Eddie D. Stakes (G2T) takes place down Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf course or on the regular grassy oval, Nick Alexander can fnd a way to win with a California homebred. Alexander’s Pee Wee Reese captured the stakes named for the popular Hall of Fame former jockey Eddie Delahoussaye in 2019, when it was fve furlongs. He repeated this year with Lieutenant Dan, with the race returning to its traditional downhill distance of about 61⁄2 furlongs.
Nick Alexander’s California homebred Lieutenant Dan takes the Eddie D. Stakes on Santa Anita’s downhill turf course
mile so I was worried about that,” said Miyadi. “It’s fantastic to run down that “I love that turf course,” Alexander said. hill and to win.” “We have always excelled on it, and GraFranco called Lieutenant Dan fast and zen babies just seem to love that distance versatile. and that downhill. It is so beautiful.” “He broke sharp like he always does Pee Wee Reese is by Tribal Rule, and and put me in a nice spot,” the jockey Lieutenant Dan is one of the many stakes said. “All in all, he was the one taking me winners Alexander has bred by his stallion through the trip.” Grazen. Te sire continues to turn out Te race occurred on the opening day talented runners, and Lieutenant Dan is a of Santa Anita’s fall meeting, along with particular favorite of trainer Steve Miyadi. several other stakes used as preps for the Lieutenant Dan made his graded stakes Breeders’ Cup. Alexander said that Lieudebut in the $101,500 Green Flash Handtenant Dan had earned his way into being icap (G3T) at Del Mar Aug. 22, supplemented, with the possiwinning by 21⁄4 lengths as the 2-1 bility of running in the Breeders’ favorite. He went favored again in Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) Nov. 6 the $202,000 Eddie D. Oct. 1 at over the same course and dis5-2 against eight rivals. tance at Del Mar where he won Te competition included Snapthe Green Flash. per Sinclair, a Steve Asmussen Lieutenant Dan won the 2019 trainee coming of a one mile and Echo Eddie Stakes and Real 70-yard victory in the Sept. 8 TVG Good Deal Stakes on dirt and Stakes at Kentucky Downs. Trainthe 2020 Sensational Star Stakes er Phil D’Amato had the one-two on turf. Alexander bred him from punch of Gregorian Chant and the the stakes-winning Indian Charmare Charmaine’s Mia, both mullie mare Excusabull, whose other tiple stakes winners at Santa Anita. winners include six-fgure earners Jockey Geovanni Franco broke Owner Nick Alexander, fourth left, in the winner’s circle with Hunger and Joe Jackson, both Lieutenant Dan out of the gate on trainer Steve Miyadi, second right, and other joyful celebrants Cal-breds. 32
top, but Charmaine’s Mia and multiple graded winner Law Abidin Citizen did not let him get away. Tose three battled early down the hill. Lieutenant Dan had the slight edge over the mare as they crossed the dirt. Te Cal-bred opened up on Charmaine’s Mia, but he wasn’t out of danger. Several closers tried to catch him, and he held them of to score by a half-length in 1:11.74. Snapper Sinclair fnished second, with Chaos Teory third. “I don’t feel he’s a real miler against top horses, and I consider the 61⁄2 furlongs a
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