Green With Eddie's connections may take shot at Del Mar Futurity

DEL MAR, Calif. – Green With Eddie’s victory in Wednesday’s $100,000 Graduation Stakes for California-bred juveniles at Del Mar has left owners Paul and Zillah Reddam and trainer Doug O’Neill facing a pleasant problem for early September.

Green With Eddie is well suited for two stakes in the final days of the Del Mar summer meeting. The options include the $150,000 I’m Smokin Stakes for California-breds at six furlongs on Sept. 2 or the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity, a Grade 1 at seven furlongs on Sept. 5.

As of Thursday morning, O’Neill was not ready to finalize a plan but acknowledged that Green With Eddie deserves a chance outside of the statebred division.

“We think he’s capable of competing in open company,” O’Neill said.

Bred by the Reddams, Green With Eddie won his first stakes in the Graduation at 5 1/2 furlongs. Ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Green With Eddie raced wide throughout and won by 3 1/4 lengths over California Diamond.

“He didn’t get caught up in a crazy pace duel,” O’Neill said.

O’Neill had two other runners in the race – Milton Freewater, who was third, and Sizzlin Square, who was fifth. Their presence in the barn gives the Reddams and O’Neill a greater incentive to try a graded stakes with Green With Eddie.

The Reddams and O’Neill have a recent precedent with a Graduation runner. Last year, Mrazek was second in the Graduation Stakes for them and later won the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga.