Eddie Haskell prepping for Green Flash in turf-sprint allowance

DEL MAR, Calif. – There was a day when the 6-year-old gelding Eddie Haskell was beaten in a turf race at Del Mar. One.

Eddie Haskell has been brilliant on turf throughout his career, especially at Del Mar, where he has won five of six starts. In recent months, he has been just as successful at Santa Anita, winning consecutive stakes at five furlongs on turf – the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes on May 25 and the Siren Lure Stakes on June 23.

Eddie Haskell has won his last five starts in five-furlong turf races and will be favored to extend the streak in an allowance race with a $100,000 claiming option at Del Mar on Wednesday. Trainer Mark Glatt considers the optional claimer a prep for the Grade 3 Green Flash Handicap at five furlongs on turf Aug. 17.

“We want to take advantage of the allowance race,” Glatt said. “It’s a reasonable time back to the Green Flash.”

Owned by Philip Wood and Jim Hailey, Eddie Haskell was claimed for $50,000 in April 2018. He has since won 6 of 10 starts and earned $364,484. His only loss on turf at Del Mar was a second in an optional claimer in 2016 when trained by Doug O’Neill.

On Wednesday, Eddie Haskell drew post 4 in a field of five that includes Declarationofpeace, who won the Juvenile Turf Sprint at five furlongs here in November 2017 when trained by Aidan O’Brien. In 2018, Declarationofpeace was winless in five starts in stakes in England, France, and Ireland, often well beaten in large fields.

Declarationofpeace joined trainer John Sadler’s stable this year and will have his first start for the barn Wednesday.

The other three runners are stakes winners: Pubilius Syrus won two minor turf stakes at Santa Anita in the winter of 2017-18, Stubbins won the Pasadena Stakes there in March, and Tribalist won the 2017 Green Flash Handicap.

Wednesday’s race is the first start for Tribalist since a sixth in the 2018 Green Flash behind Stormy Liberal, the champion turf male that year. Stormy Liberal is in training with Peter Miller at nearby San Luis Rey Downs and could start in the Green Flash.

Tribalist, 8, has not raced since last summer and will need a start, trainer Blake Heap said on Sunday. Tribalist has been sidelined with tendon problems throughout his career. Wednesday’s race will be his 12th start.

“He’s a little bit behind schedule,” Heap said. “I’m probably a couple of works short. Right now, he’s good.”