Kangaroo Court, Bus Buzz rematched in Echo Eddie

Fittingly, Kangaroo Court and Bus Buzz are drawn side by side in Saturday’s $150,000 Echo Eddie for 3-year-old California-breds at Santa Anita. They may have a heck of a time getting rid of each other in the race at 6 1/2 furlongs.

On March 4, Kangaroo Court won his 2023 debut in an allowance race for statebreds at six furlongs, racing just behind the pacesetting Bus Buzz before taking the lead in the stretch. Kangaroo Court won by 1 3/4 lengths under jockey Flavien Prat.

Bus Buzz was drawn on the inside of Kangaroo Court in that field of six. In the Echo Eddie, which drew a field of eight, Kangaroo Court is in post 2, with Bus Buzz to his outside.

Trainer Steve Knapp has a clear plan for how jockey Edwin Maldonado should ride Bus Buzz – get the lead and keep it.

“He’s a free-running horse and that’s what you need to do,” Knapp said. “I think last time we tried to rate the horse when we got in front.”

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This is the third start for Bus Buzz, who led throughout a maiden race at six furlongs on Feb. 4, drawing away by eight lengths. A gelding, Bus Buzz races for Terry Lovingier, Thomas Halasz, and Amanda Navarro.

Kangaroo Court was second at Del Mar last July in his debut, then won a maiden race there in August by 14 1/2 lengths in his final start of the year. The March 4 win was the first time Kangaroo Court did not lead throughout a race in his brief career.

Trainer Tim Yakteen said a stalking trip may be Kangaroo Court’s best chance on Saturday.

“I think our horse is tactical,” Yakteen said. “Flavien can play the break. Flavien can ride his race.”

While Bus Buzz and Kangaroo Court have yet to win a stakes, their Saturday rival Clovisconnection won the Golden Nugget Stakes against open company at six furlongs at Golden Gate Fields last November. The Echo Eddie is the Southern California debut for Clovisconnection, who closed from third and won an allowance race at six furlongs on the synthetic track at Golden Gate Fields on March 17.

The Echo Eddie is the seventh race on a 12-race program that begins at noon Pacific and is the first race of a 20-cent Rainbow Pick Six that has a mandatory payout. Track officials expect the pool to exceed $3 million.

There are six stakes on Saturday’s program, beginning with $150,000 Evening Jewel Stakes for statebred 3-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs, the day’s second race. Trainer Doug O’Neill has two of the five runners in Absolutely Zero and Ceiling Crusher.

Absolutely Zero, winner of the Fasig-Tipton Futurity against open-company males last June, has not raced since she finished last of six in the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes at six furlongs at Del Mar last August. Ceiling Crusher won her only start this year, an allowance race for statebred fillies at six furlongs in January.

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