Turf standout United looms as favorite in Del Mar's Eddie Read
LNJ Foxwoods’ United, a chestnut gelding who loves to run long on the turf, will get an opportunity to do so at Del Mar on Sunday when he tops a field of seven older horses named to the 47th running of the Grade 2, $200,000 Eddie Read Stakes at nine furlongs.
Read, who was at Del Mar in 1937 with Bing Crosby when the seaside track opened and played an instrumental part in its growth as its long-time publicity director, would have loved a horse like United – a big, strong, hard-trying son of the top sire Giant’s Causeway who runs his race every time and has put more than $1.1 million in the bank. The fact that he’s trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella and will be ridden by star jockey Flavien Prat would only add to his delight.
While United has earned his role as the 8/5 morning line favorite, his six rivals are not inclined at all to concede the race to the 5-year-old.
Among those who’ll surely give United a run for his money will be last year’s winner of the Read, Agave Racing Stable, ERJ Racing, et al.’s Bowies Hero, a 6-year-old full horse by turf champion Artie Schiller. The bay has won eight races and more than $1.5 million and comes into the test off a solid comeback race last month at Santa Anita. He’s been hung second choice on the line at 4-1 and will have Tiago Pereira in the boot.
Still others in the competitive lineup that are likely to have a say in the outcome are Red Barons Barn and Rancho Temescal’s Sharp Samurai, a multiple-stakes winner and Hronis Racing’s Combatant, winner of this year’s Santa Anita Handicap (G1).
Here’s the complete lineup for the Read from the rail out with riders and morning line odds:
Bowies Hero; B G Stables’ Originaire (Umberto Rispoli, 9/2); Sharp Samurai (Juan Hernandez, 5-1); Combatant (Jorge Velez, 12-1); Slam Dunk Racing or Netwig’s Cleopatra’s Strike (Abel Cedillo, 8-1); C Y B T, Gevertz or Gitomer, et al.’s Neptune’s Storm (Drayden Van Dyke, 6-1), and United.
United is 2-for-2 this year with graded stakes victories in the San Marcos (G2) and Charles Whittingham (G2) at Santa Anita to his credit. Last year, perhaps his best race was one in which he was beaten in a photo. That was the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita where he was nailed at the wire by turf champion Bricks and Mortar.
Neptune’s Storm comes into the Read off a game score in the San Francisco Mile (G3) at Golden Gate Fields on June 14. The Stormy Atlantic gelding has won six races and more than $750,000 so far.
Originaire was only a half-length behind United in the Charlie Whittingham and had trouble along the way. The Irish-bred 4-year-old appears to be a horse on the rise and bears watching in the Read.
First post Sunday is at 2 p.m. PDT.