2017 Eddie D Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The G3 Eddie D Stakes comes our way this Friday, September 29 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Horses three years old and upward will line up on Santa Anita's Downhill turf track and race about 6 1/2 furlongs for the winner's share of the $100,000 purse.

A competitive field of 11 have been confirmed for the Eddie D Stakes - race 9 on Santa Anita's opening Friday schedule. Post time is 5:00 PM. Here is a brief look into the past performances of all 11 combatants for this intriguing G3 stakes.

Om

Has 18 career starts for trainer Dan Hendricks with five wins, five seconds and five third place finishes. He was last seen finishing third in the G2 Del Mar Mile August 20 which followed an OK second in the G3 American Stakes at Santa Anita July 4, a third as favorite in the G2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar November 26 and three straight runner-up finishes - the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint - a nose behind Obviously, the G2 City of Hope Mile October 8 and the G2 Del Mar Mile August 21. Before that was a sixth in the 2016 G1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile March 12 at Santa Anita, a third in the G2 Arcadia Stakes here February 13 of 2016, a nice win in the 2015 G2 Mathis Brothers Mile, another third as favorite in the G1 Hollywood Derby November 28, 2015 and two good wins in the fall of 2015- the G2 Twilight Derby and in gate-to-wire fashion in the G2 Del Mar Derby. Om is one of two horses to ever beat American Pharoah and has placed in six straight races ahead of this weekend and has three wins, three seconds and a third in eight starts on Santa Anita turf - good form and track history. He shoots for his first win in 21 months in his third start of 2017 from gate 4 with Drayden Van Dyke guiding him.

Tribalist

Lightly raced Blake Heap trained gelding has placed in all six career starts - four wins, a second and a third-place finish. He makes his graded stakes debut Friday on a four-race win streak - the minor Green Flash Handicap in impressive, thrilling fashion last time out at Del Mar August 18, nearly 13 months away from the track, an Allowance on that track July 30, 2016, another year away, an Allowance score in August, 2015, yet another year away and a maiden score in 2014. Tribalist has been good when healthy (which is rare) and hopes to make it five straight wins Friday with Victor Espinoza in the reins from gate 2.

Bet Santa Anita Park Horse Racing with OffTrackBetting.com

Guns Loaded

Defending third-place finisher in this race has just one start since that result - a fifth in the minor Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar August 18 - that after 11 months away. Before last year's edition of this race he finished thirteenth in the G3 Jaipur Invitational at Belmont Park in June, 2016, a fifth in the 2016 G3 Twin Spires Turf Stakes and had three straight wins including the G3 San Simeon Stakes in April, 2016 and the listed Joe Hernandez Stakes in February of last year. Guns Loaded races for just the second time in a year having hit the board in just one of his last four starts overall. He hopes to rediscover his early/2016 form with Rafael Bejarano in the irons from post 7.

Prize Exhibit

British bred multiple graded stakes winning James Cassidy trained mare finished fourth in the 2014 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and has certainly been up and down since. She posted two nice wins in 2015 including the G3 Senorita Stakes in June and the G2 San Clemente Stakes at Del Mar in July. She went on to a respectable third in the G1 Del Mar Oaks in August of 2015 and a second in the 2015 Yellow Ribbon Stakes in September of that year. She has been typically inconsistent lately - a second last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Del Mar August 30 followed a fifth in the G3 Wilshire Stakes on this track July 1 and a sixth in the G1 Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park June 10. Before that was a fifth in the G2 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile, a sixth in the G2 Royal Heroine Stakes at Santa Anita, an OK second in the minor Wishing Well Stakes here and a nice win in the G3 Megahertz Stakes on this track January 16. Before that win she placed in just one of her previous 10 starts. Prize Exhibit has hit the board in just four of her last 17 starts but hopes for a first graded stakes score in 21 months. Santiago Gonzalez rides from the rail.

Mr. Roary

George Papaprodromou trained gelding has three wins, two seconds and two third-place finishes in 17 career starts. He arrives off an ugly thirteenth in the G2 Del Mar Handicap August 19 after an OK third in the G3 Eddie Read Stakes on that track July 22, an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Santa Anita June 16 and eight months away. Before the layoff was an eighth in the G2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita in November, another Allowance Optional Claiming score at Santa Anita in October, a fourteenth in the G2 Del Mar Derby last September and a seventh in the G3 La Jolla Handicap here in August, 2016. Mr. Roary hasn't been all that impressive in stakes action but will be out to make a statement Friday from the outside post 11. Tyler Conner will be in the saddle.

Rocket Heat

Won the G3 Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes at Churchill Downs in May, 2016 and has been up-and-down since. Last time out was a Claiming score at Del Mar September 4 after a ninth in the minor Green Flash Handicap on that track August 18, a second in the minor Oak Tree Sprint Stakes July 4, a third in the minor Albany Stakes at Golden Gate June 10 and three straight off-the-board finishes in stakes action including a fifth in the G3 Parx Dash in July, 2016 and a tenth in the 2016 Jaipur Invitational. Rocket Heat now has seven wins, six seconds and three third-place finishes in 25 career starts and had placed in three of his last four starts. He tries for a first graded stakes score Friday when he leaves from post 5 with Evin Roman aboard.

Coastline

John Sadler trainee has five wins, four seconds and four third place finishes in 27 career starts. He hasn't been all that great lately - a third last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Del Mar August 19 followed a fifth in a similar race on that track August 5, a fourth in the G2 San Carlos Stakes at Santa Anita July 1, a fourth in the minor Siren Lure Stakes here April 23 and another fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track March 31. He was off for nine months before that and had an eighth in the G1 Triple Bend Stakes last June, a fourth in the G2 Kona Gold Stakes last May 21, a second in the 2016 San Carlos Stakes March 12, 2016 and a nice win in the minor Clocker's Corner Stakes January 24, 2016. He placed in just two of his last nine starts overall and hopes for a first win in 19 months Friday. Jockey Flavien Prat will try to accomplish that goal from gate 8.

California Diamond

Has placed in 10 of 11 career starts for trainer Peter Miller - five wins and five second-place finishes. Last time out was his only off-the board finish - an eighth in the minor Echo Eddie Stakes on this track in April. Before that were three straight seconds including two minor stakes races and the G3 Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar in November. He won three straight minor stakes before that. Outside of a bad outing last time out California Diamond has been competitive every time out and will shoot for a strong bounce back from post 3. Kent Desormeaux has the mount.

Forever Juanito

Has just three wins, six seconds and three third place finishes in 24 career starts. He arrives off a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming here July 3, a seventh in the listed Joe Hernandez Stakes on this track March 4, a second in the minor Clocker's Corner Stakes January 29 and a third and a fifth respectively in a pair of Allowance Optional races to end his 2015 campaign. His only graded stakes result was a third in the G3 Affirmed Stakes here in 2014. Forever Juanito chase a first stakes score Friday and arrives in so-so form. Joe Talamo has been tabbed to ride from gate 6.

Krsto Skye

Ari Herbertson trained gelding has six wins, five seconds and for third-place finishes in 31 career starts. He makes his graded stakes debut Friday off a disappointing sixth in the minor Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar August 18 which followed two straight wins - the minor Albany Stakes at Golden Gate June 10 and a Waiver Claiming April 30. He placed in just one of his previous six starts - all against lesser company. Krsto Skye steps up in inconsistent form and looks as though he will be in over his head from post 9. Brice Blanc rides.

Zarga Star

George Papaprodromou trained gelding has just three wins in 19 career starts to go along with four seconds and three third-place finishes. He makes his stakes debut Friday off a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Del Mar September 4 after a Claiming score at Del Mar August 17 and a third, a fifth and another win in a trio of Claiming races this past summer. Zarga Star has been just OK against lesser company and steps up looking for a career-defining win. Martin Pedroza gets the call from gate 10.

---

2017 Eddie D Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 9 on Santa Anita's Friday card with a Post Time of 8:01 PM.