Eddie's New Dream, Rose Maddox ready for turf or dirt in Solana Beach
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Hurricane Hilary is threatening to wreck the Sunday program at Del Mar.
Expected rain from the Pacific Ocean storm is likely to reach the San Diego area early Sunday. A minor amount of rain would not affect a scheduled nine-race program, but significant rain could lead to races being moved from turf to dirt.
There is a possibility the program could be canceled in the event of substantial rainfall. Hilary is expected to lose power quickly as it moves north and comes ashore, bringing wind and rain to Southern California.
Track officials were scheduled to meet Friday morning to discuss options. Already, Sunday’s program is the shortest weekend card of the summer meeting, which began July 21. Previous Saturday and Sunday programs had 10 or 11 races.
Of the nine races, four are scheduled for turf, including the $150,000 Solana Beach Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares at a mile.
The Solana Beach drew a field of seven and includes the 2023 stakes winners Eddie’s New Dream and Rose Maddox.
Eddie’s New Dream, trained by Ben Cecil for Paul and Zillah Reddam, has run well on turf and dirt this year. She led throughout the Fran’s Valentine Stakes for statebred fillies and mares at a mile on turf May 28 at Santa Anita, beating Rose Maddox by a half-length.
A winner of 7 of 25 starts, Eddie’s New Dream has since finished third and second in allowance races against open company on turf, losing the latter race at 1 1/8 miles by a nose July 23, after stalking the early pace.
Eddie’s New Dream was third in the Spring Fever Stakes for statebred fillies and mares at six furlongs on dirt at Santa Anita in February, leading in the stretch before fading from contention.
Rose Maddox, trained by Steve Miyadi for Nick Alexander, can seemingly run on any surface. She won stakes on turf and the synthetic main track at Golden Gate Fields earlier this year, and won on dirt at Santa Anita in 2022.
Rose Maddox was last of nine in the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs on July 4 at Los Alamitos, stalking the pace before fading through the long stretch.
The Solana Beach Stakes is unlikely to have a quick pace. Eddie’s New Dream can lead and may be closely followed by Madiha, who set the pace in an allowance race against open company at a mile on turf Aug. 3 at Del Mar, before fading to finish a well-beaten third.
Glorious Spring, an allowance race winner July 2 at Los Alamitos, and Ultimate Hy, who drew the outside post, will be closing.
Ultimate Hy ended a 12-race losing streak with a win as the 2-1 favorite in an allowance race for fillies and mares at a mile on turf July 29 at Del Mar. She was second in an allowance race on dirt July 1 at Los Alamitos, closing well to miss by a half-length.
Her recent experience on both surfaces could be an asset Sunday, if the program goes forward.
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