First graded win for jockey Tyler Conner as Mr. Roary upsets Eddie D

ARCADIA, Calif. – Mr. Roary closed between runners, including a riderless horse, to win Friday’s Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on the opening day of the track’s autumn meeting.

Mr. Roary ($47.60) was the first California winner, first mount on the hillside turf course, and first career graded stakes win for jockey Tyler Conner, who relocated from Pennsylvania in late August.

Trained by George Papaprodromou for Rustin Kretz, Mr. Roary ran about 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:11.99.

Conner, 23, said he walked the hillside turf course earlier on Friday and sought advice from Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith about the nuances of the course.

Conner guided Mr. Roary from the back of the field of nine after crossing on the main turf course and closed well to win by a neck over Tribalist. Mr. Roary was sixth, trailing by 4 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining.

“When he crossed the dirt, I knew he had a shot,” Conner said. “He’s a big-striding colt and I let him settle.”

Tribalist led by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong to go. Through the stretch, Guns Loaded, who unseated Rafael Bejarano shortly after the start, ran alongside Tribalist, who raced on the inside.

Mr. Roary rallied outside of Guns Loaded to reach the front in the final strides.

Tribalist, who won the Green Flash Handicap on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 18, finished a half-length in front of Om, the even-money favorite who was second by a nose in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita last November.

Forever Juanito finished fourth in the Eddie D Stakes, followed by Coastline, Prize Exhibit, Zarqa Star, California Diamond and Rocket Heat.

Bejarano did not appear to be injured in the incident at the start.

Mr. Roary, a 4-year-old gelding by Scat Daddy, won a graded stakes for the first time in the $101,725 Eddie D Stakes. Mr. Roary won the minor Rainbow Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf in June 2016 as a 38-1 outsider.

At the Del Mar summer meeting that ended earlier this month, Mr. Roary was third in the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes on July 22, and last of 13 in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on Aug. 19.

Mr. Roary raced on the hillside turf course for the first time on Friday.

“I wanted to give it a shot,” Papaprodromou said.