Kangaroo Court edges Bus Buzz in Echo Eddie, survives inquiry
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ARCADIA, Calif. - Kangaroo Court edged Bus Buzz by a head in a thrilling running of the $151,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for California-bred sprinters at Santa Anita on Saturday, and survived a lengthy stewards’ inquiry to preserve the win.
The stewards focused on bumping incidents between Kangaroo Court and Bus Buzz in early stretch and the final sixteenth before deciding to leave the order of finish unchanged. They ruled in a unanimous decision that Bus Buzz initiated the contact in deep stretch and that the incident did not affect the running order.
Edwin Maldonado, who rode Bus Buzz, acknowledged that his mount drifted out late, but said that jockey Flavien Prat aboard Kangaroo Court was at fault for drifting in and bumping Bus Buzz in early stretch.
“He initiated the first two contacts,” Maldonado said. “The last one was mine.”
Prat said Bus Buzz steadily drifted out in the final sixteenth, forcing his mount into a wider position.
Kangaroo Court and Bus Buzz essentially had a match race in the Echo Eddie, run at 6 1/2 furlongs. Bus Buzz set a quick early pace of 21.31 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 43.83 for a half-mile, leading by two lengths on the backstretch and by a half-length on the turn from Kangaroo Court.
They were four lengths clear of the chasing pack entering the stretch.
Bus Buzz led by a head with a furlong remaining.
Kangaroo Court ($3) finished in 1:15.66 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 87. The gelding, by the Discreet Cat stallion Dads Caps, races for George Sharp and trainer Tim Yakteen. In the race preceding the Echo Eddie, Yakteen saddled Practical Move to a win in the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby.
Bus Buzz, the 7-2 second choice in the Echo Eddie, finished 6 1/4 lengths in front of 11-1 Clouseau.
Left Hand Man finished fourth, followed by Clovisconnection, Good N Thirsty and Barely Functional
Maldonado knew Prat would be close to Bus Buzz as the race unfolded.
“I was trying to get away from him and he knew what I was doing,” Maldonado said. “It was a two-horse race.”
Kangaroo Court, who won his stakes debut in the Echo Eddie, has won 3 of 4 starts and earned $197,200.
Evening Jewel
The margin was 15 1/2 lengths and it did not seem that close.
Ceiling Crusher won her stakes debut in Saturday’s $150,000 Evening Jewel Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old fillies after fighting for the lead through the first half-mile.
Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Ceiling Crusher ($2.60) ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.18 in her third career start in the Evening Jewel. Ceiling Crusher earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 94.
Ceiling Crusher dueled with 9-2 Tom’s Regret through a quick early pace of 21.78 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 43.98 for a half-mile before pulling clear rapidly in early stretch.
Ceiling Crusher led by seven lengths with a furlong remaining.
Tom’s Regret held second, three-quarters of a length in front of 14-1 Cholly. Love U Mean It and Absolutely Zero completed the order of finish in the small field.
By Mr. Big, Ceiling Crusher won a maiden race for California-bred fillies in her lone start at 2 last June. She was bought privately by current owners Wonderland Racing Stables, Todd Cady, Tim Kasparoff and Ty Leatherman before she won her 3-year-old debut in an allowance race for statebred fillies at six furlongs in January.
Ceiling Crusher’s win will likely lead to a start at a longer distance in the $150,000 Melair Stakes for statebred 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on May 28.
“She looks like a two-turn filly,” O’Neill said. “I think that’s what she wants to do.”
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