Gold Rush Dancer Heads Field of Nine in Echo Eddie

Gold Rush Dancer heads a field of nine in Saturday’s fifth running of the $200,000 Echo Eddie Stakes going six and a half furlongs on the main track for California-bred or sired 3-year-olds.

GOLD RUSH DANCER – Bred in California by John Parker, who also owns the 3-year-old colt by Private Gold, Gold Rush Dancer will attempt to win his second stakes and his first in southern California Saturday. Winner of the Gottstein Futurity at Emerald Downs Sept. 27, he traveled south to run third in the Golden Nugget Stakes at Golden Gate Nov. 7 and fifth in the Gold Rush, also at Golden Gate Dec. 5. After transferring to the barn of Vann Belvoir and training at Santa Anita, he most recently ran fourth to Santa Anita Derby contender Iron Rob in the San Pedro Stakes March 20.

Gary Stevens was up for the San Pedro effort and will stay aboard for the Echo Eddie. Gold Rush Dancer is 8-2-2-2 overall with earnings of $89,423.

DEMONSLAYER – Owned by Cicero Farms and trained by Richard Baltas, this lightly raced Tale of the Cat ridgling was bred in California by Barbara Ranck Perry and is the only Triple Crown nominated runner in the Echo Eddie field. A winner of a 6 ½ furlong maiden special weight at Santa Anita Dec. 27, he most recently ran sixth to Santa Anita Derby runner Smokey Image in the Cal Cup Derby Jan. 30 and will hope to make amends Saturday. Demonslayer will break from the rail with returning rider Rafael Bejarano. He has $41,720 in earnings.

TOUGH IT OUT – After breaking his maiden going a mile on turf at Del Mar Nov. 12, this Nick Alexander homebred went on to run a credible third in the one-mile King Glorious Stakes at Los Alamitos Dec. 12 and was second to Smokey Image in the Cal Cup Derby going 1 1/16 miles. After two subsequent disappointing efforts in route races since, trainer Phil D’Amato will cut back in distance Saturday with Joe Talamo in the irons. Tough It Out is a 3-year-old gelding by Grazen and is 7-1-1-2 overall with $102,790 in earnings.

TOUGH BUT NICE – An impressive winner of his first out, breaking his maiden by 6 ¼ lengths, the 3-year-old colt by Good Journey has only run out of the money once and will be cutting back in distance. Trained by Hector Palma, who is also part-owner, Tough But Nice will be stepping up in class and will seek his first stakes win. Owned and bred by BG Stables, Tough But Nice is 5-2-1-1 overall with $64,000 in earnings.

THE ECHO EDDIE STAKES IN POST POSITION ORDER WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS

Race 10 (of 12)       Approximate post time, 4:35 p.m. PDT

1.     Demonslayer – Rafael Bejarano – 120

2.     Tough It Out – Joe Talamo – 120

3.     Record Highs – Tyler Baze – 120

4.     Glory Bound – Victor Espinoza – 120

5.     Brandothebartender – Kent Desormeaux – 120

6.     Tough But Nice – Fernando Perez – 122

7.     Gold Rush Dancer – Gary Stevens – 124

8.     Bully Pulpit – Tiago Pereira – 120

9.     Xingontothebone – Martin Pedroza – 122

First post time for a 12-race program on Sunday is at 12 noon.  Admission gates open at 10 a.m.