California Diamond can fire fresh in Echo Eddie Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – California Diamond has not raced since late January, a gap that leaves trainer Peter Miller confident that the colt can win the fifth stakes of his career in Saturday’s $200,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for California-bred 3-year-olds at Santa Anita.

“This was the plan,” he said. “We circled this race a couple of months back and wanted to give him a freshening.”

The Echo Eddie is one of two $200,000 races for California-bred 3-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs on Saturday’s program. The Evening Jewel for fillies is the day’s fourth race.

California Diamond, who races for Gary Hartunian’s Rockingham Ranch, is one of two stakes winners among the nine entrants in the Echo Eddie. Green With Eddie won the Graduation Stakes at Del Mar last July but was fifth as the 2-1 favorite in an optional claimer March 19, his only start this year.

California Diamond has won 5 of 10 starts but is winless in his last three races, the longest losing streak of his career. California Diamond was second to Ann Arbor Eddie in the King Glorious Stakes at a mile at Los Alamitos last December and in the California Cup Derby at 1 1/16 miles here Jan. 28. Last year, California Diamond won four sprint stakes.

“I thought he ran a great race last time,” Miller said. “He might be better around one turn.”

Miller expects California Diamond to race as a stalker behind Elwood J, who was third in two races on the hillside turf course in recent starts, and the quick Green With Eddie.

The field includes Tribal Storm, who finished fourth in the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields on Feb. 18 but was promoted to third after a disqualification, and Dr. Troutman, a maiden-race winner supplemented to the race for $25,000.

B Squared, who won a maiden race for California-bred 3-year-olds at seven furlongs on March 4 in his debut, could play a factor from off the pace.

◗ Miss Sunset has seen the last of two-turn races for the time being. A sprint-stakes winner on turf and dirt, Miss Sunset was sixth in the China Doll Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf March 11.

“Mentally, she wasn’t into the two-turn race,” trainer Jeff Bonde said. “We’ll go back to what works for her.”

What works for Miss Sunset is sprinting. She won the Generous Portion Stakes at six furlongs at Del Mar last August and the Sweet Life Stakes on the hillside turf course here in February. Those races make her the favorite for the Evening Jewel Stakes.

Miss Sunset is one of two formidable runners trained by Bonde. He also starts You’re Late, who won the CTBA Stakes at Del Mar last July and was later fifth in the Generous Portion. You’re Late was eighth in an optional claimer against open company March 10 after racing wide throughout.

“She didn’t get a good trip,” Bonde said. “It was her first start in a while.”