Lane Way, Daniel's Magic will have to hurry in five-furlong Stormy Liberal

Turf sprints at fitting distances are out there for late-runners Lane Way and Daniel’s Magic. The $100,000 Stormy Liberal Stakes on Saturday at Del Mar is not on the list.

“I wish it was six and a half,” Lane Way’s trainer, Richard Mandella, lamented. The Stormy Liberal is five furlongs.

Same with Daniel’s Magic, trained by Eoin Harty. Distance “is going to be his Achilles’ heel,” Harty acknowledged. “Six and a half, especially down the [Santa Anita] hill, is where he really wants to play.”

Lane Way and Daniel’s Magic are just getting warmed up at five furlongs, and the short distance of the race-3 Stormy Liberal poses a challenge for the possible favorite and the upset candidate in the newest Del Mar stakes.

The Stormy Liberal is being run Saturday for the second time, and while distance is problematic for some, it is perfect for others. Turn On The Jets won last year’s inaugural Stormy Liberal and is 3 of 4 in Del Mar turf sprints. His Phil D’Amato-trained stablemate Unconquerable Keen has twice run in Del Mar turf sprints with a win and a second.

Others in the Stormy Liberal field who have won five-furlong turf sprints at Del Mar include front-runner See Through It, Johnny Podres, and late supplement Ah Jeez. The mare Honey Pants also was supplemented.

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Distance concerns aside, Lane Way is the Stormy Liberal’s most likely winner. The race is a consolation for the 6-year-old, who won the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes in September at Santa Anita and was pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. He was relegated to also-eligible status.

“We needed one more scratch,” Mandella said.

With no options available, Mandella targeted the Stormy Liberal. Lane Way has not raced in more than two months, but the trainer said “he couldn’t be better.”

Mike Smith rides Lane Way, who was 1 for 10 before he was gelded. In nine starts since, he has four wins and four seconds.

Lane Way has two seconds from three tries in Del Mar turf sprints; he excels at distances from six to 6 1/2 furlongs. His last half-dozen starts at those longer distances netted four wins and two seconds. The 5-for-19 gelding has earned $490,560 and has enough tactical speed to be positioned relatively close in the Stormy Liberal, which could unfold at a tepid clip.

That won’t help late-runner Daniel’s Magic, but his potentially high odds could justify the risk. Harty gelded him this spring.

“He’s a very heavy horse, so we cut him, and it’s helped with his weight,” Harty said. “He’s still a very heavy horse.”

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He also is still improving at age 5.

Daniel’s Magic, 5 for 19, shortens up after a pair of allowance upsets on the Santa Anita hill that were the two best performances of his career. His rider is Tyler Gafflione.

If five furlongs is too short for Lane Way and Daniel’s Magic, there is always the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes on Dec. 30 at Santa Anita. That race is 6 1/2 on the hill.

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