Desormeaux expects Miss Southern Miss to move forward in Landaluce

Keith Desormeaux may have another bargain on his hands in Miss Southern Miss, even though he didn’t purchase the two-year-old filly that makes her second start Saturday when she runs in the $125,000 Landaluce Stakes for two-year-old fillies at five-and-a-half furlongs.

Miss Southern Miss, a daughter of More Than Ready bred in Kentucky by the Cantrell Family Partnership, Ltd., and owned by Peter Cantrell, won her first and only start by three-and-a-quarter lengths going five furlongs on June 9, splitting horses in the field of eight and drawing clear through the lane.

“I didn’t buy this one, but I did buy and trained her mother (the Stormy Atlantic mare Miss Atlantic City),” Desormeaux said of Miss Southern Miss. “Peter Cantrell is a long-time client and I was lucky that he decided to keep the filly instead of selling her.

“It’s a great deal for me because she’s a great horse. She totally surprised me winning first out (at 7-1) because I never win first time out. I usually don’t push them that hard, so their talent has got to overcome my training, no doubt.

“If a horse wins for me first time, that’s a special horse. I expect her to really move forward this second start.”

The field for Landaluce, which goes as race five of nine: Love a Honeybadger, Victor Espinoza, 8-1; Tap It All, Santiago Gonzalez, 8-1; Miss Southern Miss, Flavien Prat, 5-2; Demigoddess, Brandon  Boulanger, 30-1; Cioppino Pasadino, Edwin Maldonado, 4-1; Theonewewaitedfor, Rafael Bejarano, 7-2; and Chalon, Tyler Baze, 2-1.

TEAM O’NEILL SET FOR SANTA ANITA JUVENILE

Trainer Doug O’Neill, who won two races on July 4, hopes to double his pleasure again Saturday when he sends out Green With Eddie and Secret House in the $125,000 Santa Anita Juvenile for two-year-olds at 5 ½ furlongs.

Green With Eddie is a son of the prolific young stallion Square Eddie, who stands in California and seems to get runner after runner, distances and surfaces be damned.

“Square Eddies are all runners and all good looking; he always stamps them,” said

Doug’s brother, Dennis. “I thought he would be a turf sire with the Smart Strike and El Gran Senor bloodlines, but they run just as well on dirt.

“It’s a very small crop every year, only 35 or 40. Basically, he’s a private sire and what he’s accomplished is amazing. He stands at Ocean Breeze in Bonsall, formerly Vessels.”

Doug O'Neill also saddles maiden winner Secret House, a son of Tiznow, in the Juvenile.

The field: Rebel War, Tiago Pereira, 12-1; Green With Eddie, Flavien Prat, 3-1; Secret House, Rafael Bejarano, 3-1; Silver Assault, Martin Garcia, 5-2; Right Hand Man, Stewart Elliott, 7-2; and California Diamond, Edwin Maldonado, 4-1.

Source: Santa Anita Park