Lady Shipman faces obstacles in Eddie D Stakes
ARCADIA, Calif. – Lady Shipman faces an uphill battle on a downhill course Friday at Santa Anita.
The early favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, Lady Shipman could be vulnerable when she makes her first of two planned California starts in race 6, the stronger division of the split Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill course.
Lady Shipman, a New York-based filly trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, faces numerous obstacles – a tough pace scenario, inside post, cross-country ship, subpar recent form against colts and geldings, and inexperience on the unique Santa Anita downhill course.
What she has going for her is the most important attribute of all – Lady Shipman is the best horse in the field.
“She’s a little machine,” McLaughlin said this week from New York. “She’s fun to be around, and she wins … almost every time.”
Lady Shipman has won 13 of 19, including 11 stakes, and will use the Eddie D to prep for the BC Turf Sprint on Nov. 5 at Santa Anita. Lady Shipman was due to arrive from New York at midday Wednesday and will remain in California through the Breeders’ Cup.
“We’re giving her a run down the hill to see how it goes,” McLaughlin said, noting that Lady Shipman often improves the second time she tries a new course. The BC Turf Sprint would be her second start on the hill.
Among her rivals Friday are horse-for-course specialists Hunt and Ambitious Brew, five-furlong turf-sprint stakes winner Why Two, and a pair of speedsters who will keep Lady Shipman company – Justin Squared and Richard’s Boy.
The $100,000 Eddie D was split after 26 of the 33 nominees entered. Race 9 includes horse-for-course specialists Guns Loaded and Toowindytohaulrox; Ohio, a route-to-sprint veteran making his first start on the hill; and likely pacesetter So Sweetitiz.
Eddie D, race 6
KEY CONTENDERS
Lady Shipman, by Midshipman
Last 3 Beyers: 97-99-94
◗ Runner-up in the 2015 BC Turf Sprint at Keeneland, Lady Shipman was scheduled to arrive at Santa Anita on Wednesday, walk Thursday, and run Friday.
“It’s a little close, but nothing bothers her,” McLaughlin said.
◗ The inside post is considered compromising in turf sprints with large fields, but recent stats suggest that the rail is hardly a deal breaker. Since the winter of 2014-15, in turf sprints with 10 or more starters, the inside post was 11 for 106, which is more than a random sample.
◗ Irad Ortiz Jr., among the leading East Coast jockeys, has never ridden a turf sprint at Santa Anita.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Lady Shipman. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is 66-2-5-8 with a $0.34 ROI over the past five years in graded stakes outside of New York or Florida. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Hunt, by Dark Angel
Last 3 Beyers: 88-100-94
◗ Four wins from five starts on the hill provide an advantage for Hunt despite a dull sixth at Del Mar as the favorite in a five-furlong sprint stakes. Trainer Phil D’Amato said he believes Hunt was compromised by strategy and course profile last time.
“Five furlongs at Del Mar, you have to kind of be on the engine the whole time,” D’Amato said. “He was into the race more than he is down the hill. It was not his style, and we got beat.”
◗ Back on his preferred layout, Hunt enters with no excuses.
“He’s bullet-worked three times in a row, which is a little uncharacteristic of him,” D’Amato said. “He’s just feeling so good.”
◗ Flavien Prat rides.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 8 Hunt. Trainer Phil D’Amato is 52-14-7-7 with a $2.89 ROI over the past year in downhill turf sprints at Santa Anita. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Why Two, by Bob and John
Last 3 Beyers: 98-97-93
◗ He won two straight, including a stakes, after switching to turf, a move trainer Mike Machowsky said was jockey Kent Desormeaux’s idea after a July 4 third-place finish on dirt.
“Kent said, ‘Run this horse five-eighths on grass – he’ll just love it.’ ”
◗ Machowsky described Why Two: “He’s kind of a big, blocky horse. I think on the main track, he doesn’t get a hold of it as well as turf or synthetic.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Mrazek. Trainer Doug O’Neill is 16-0-0-0 over the past five years going dirt to turf in a graded stakes race and 17-0-1-1 over the past five years with horses trying turf for the first time in any stakes race. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Justin Squared. Trainer Bob Baffert is 56-3-6-5 with a $1.06 ROI over the past five years in turf sprints. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Eddie D, race 9
KEY CONTENDERS
Guns Loaded, by D’wildcat
Last 3 Beyers: 63-89-98
◗ He is 3 for 6 on the hill, including a Grade 3 win, and returns from a three-month break after tailing off in the spring. Doug O’Neill trains, and Rafael Bejarano rides.
Ohio, by Elusive Quality
Last 3 Beyers: 96-94-99
◗ He shortens up to a sprint after finishing third behind BC Mile candidates Midnight Storm and Om in a Grade 2 last out. Paulo Lobo trains the Brazilian, whose best races in South America were seven furlongs or shorter. Brice Blanc rides.
Toowindytohaulrox, by Harlan’s Holiday
Last 3 Beyers: 84-96-96
◗ A closer trained by D’Amato, he has a Grade 3 win and a stakes runner-up in his last two starts on the hill. Tiago Pereira rides.