Midnight Storm drops from Grade 1 ranks
ARCADIA, Calif. – Speed duels cost Midnight Storm a chance at victory over the summer. In his three starts during the summer, all in Grade 1 races, he pressed the pace and tired, finishing second in the Shoemaker Mile and fifth in the Eddie Read on turf and last of 10 in the Pacific Classic on dirt.
Midnight Storm takes a substantial class drop in Saturday’s $100,000 Eddie D Stakes at Santa Anita. It will be the first time he has run on the 6 1/2-furlong hillside turf course. The Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes, named for retired Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, could lead to a start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint or the BC Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 31, trainer Phil D’Amato said.
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First, Midnight Storm needs a stakes win.
“I think the [hillside] is a chance to see how he does in more of a one-turn scenario on the grass,” D’Amato said.
Midnight Storm is part of a field of 11 in the Eddie D Stakes, the sixth of 10 races on Saturday.
KEY CONTENDERS
Midnight Storm (Last 3 Beyers: 59-80-102)
◗ Midnight Storm will take off blinkers in the Eddie D. In his last start, the Pacific Classic on Aug. 22, Midnight Storm dueled for the lead and was out of contention by the final turn.
“I’ve trained him without blinkers since the last race to get him to relax more,” D’Amato said.
◗ Midnight Storm won the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on turf in a 17-1 upset in August 2014. He began his 2015 campaign with an impressive win in an optional claimer at a mile on turf here in April. The Eddie D Stakes will be the shortest race he has run on turf.
Toowindytohaulrox (Last 3 Beyers: 88-87-88)
◗ Toowindytohaulrox, also trained by D’Amato, won an optional claimer at a mile on turf Aug. 15 at Del Mar. The Eddie D will be the graded stakes debut for the 4-year-old colt, who has three career wins.
◗ He is a threat from off the pace.
“He incrementally gets better over time,” D’Amato said. “I think he could come with a run.”
Jimmy Bouncer (Last 3 Beyers: 91-92-93)
◗ Jimmy Bouncer won his first four starts before finishing sixth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 23, his stakes debut. The Eddie D Stakes will be the first start on the hillside turf course for Jimmy Bouncer, who has started in a turf sprint only once, winning an optional claimer at five furlongs at Del Mar on July 29.
Swingtime Stakes
Gender Agenda, who has won optional claimers this year at Santa Anita and Del Mar, steps up for Saturday’s $70,000 Swingtime Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf. Trained by Carla Gaines, Gender Agenda is part of a field of 12 that includes the stakes winners Alexis Tangier, Customer Base, Energia Fribby, and Full Ransom.