Jeranimo Tries to Find Form in Eddie Read

Wright and LaPenta’s classy Jeranimo, who has been competing against the best turf milers in America in reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan and West Coast star Obviously, is the 7-2 morning line favorite for Saturday’s 40th running of the Grade I $300,000 Eddie Read Stakes at a mile and one-eighth on Del Mar’s infield Jimmy Durante grass course.

Jeranimo, a seven-year-old son of Congaree conditioned by Mike Pender, was runner-up in the 2011 Read to Horse of the Meeting and ultimate Eclipse Award winner Acclamation and last August he was third to Obviously in the Del Mar Mile.

More recently, Jeranimo won the San Gabriel Handicap in January at nine furlongs, was seventh over a yielding turf course in Churchill Downs’  Turf Classic and fourth behind Obviously in the Shoemaker Mile, a race he won in 2012.

Rafael Bejarano has the call on Jeramino.

Heading Jeranimo’s strong opposition in a field of ten horses  are Japanese-bred Barocci, a recent allowance winner at Hollywood Park ; Sofast, a French-bred colt making his U.S. debut; Middie, an invader from the Midwest who was third to Wise Dan in the Turf Classic; Slim Shadey, fifth in the 2012 Eddie Read, and Fed Biz, winner of the El Cajon Stakes on the Del Mar main track last summer.

Others in the line-up are Cogito, Fly Lexis Fly, Lucayan and Vagabond Shoes.

Supporting feature on a ten-race program is the $90,000 Osunitas Stakes for older fillies and mares at a mile and one-sixteenth on grass.

Post-time for the first race Saturday is 2:05 p.m.