Reddams loaded with stable of strong juveniles

ARCADIA, Calif. – Realistic expectations have no place in the 2-year-old division at Santa Anita this spring.

Since the first race for juveniles was run April 30, one pair of owners has dominated the action. Paul and Zillah Reddam, best known for winning the 2012 Kentucky Derby with I’ll Have Another, have had six 2-year-olds win maiden special weight races.

“You can’t expect that,” Paul Reddam said last weekend. “You can always dream, but this is remarkable.”

There may be much more to come. On Sunday, the Reddams have three winners in the first round of stakes for 2-year-olds at 5 1/2 furlongs. Found Money and Mrazek start in the $125,000 Santa Anita Juvenile, while She’s a Classic runs in the $125,000 Landaluce Stakes for fillies.

All three are by Square Eddie, a stallion the Reddams raced and support in California. Five of the six 2-year-old Reddam-owned winners are by Square Eddie, and Paul Reddam estimates that another 15 will run in the coming weeks and months for trainers Ben Cecil, Ed Freeman, and Doug O’Neill.

“It’s kind of amazing,” Reddam said.

Through Tuesday, Square Eddie, 9, was the nation’s leading sire of 2-year-olds, with progeny earnings of $184,068. He has had seven runners win five races.

Some of the recent wins have been expected, others a surprise.

She’s a Classic paid $50.40 when she won a maiden race for California-bred fillies April 30, while Quorum of Joy paid $52.40 on June 6. Found Money set a track record of 50.89 seconds for 4 1/2 furlongs when he won a maiden race for California-breds on May 15. Mrazek paid just $5 when he won May 31.

To date, the only Reddam-owned 2-year-old winner not sired by Square Eddie was Nyquist, a colt by Uncle Mo who won a five-furlong maiden race June 5.

“The Uncle Mo might be the best one,” Reddam said.

Aside from the upcoming stakes at Santa Anita, Quorum of Joy is a candidate for the $50,000 Everett Nevin Futurity at the Oak Tree at Pleasanton meeting July 5 at the Alameda County Fair. Ralis, who won a maiden race last Saturday, might run July 12 in the $75,000 Summer Juvenile Championship at Los Alamitos.

In addition to homebreds, the Reddams have been active at sales of 2-year-olds in training this year. At the Barretts May sale at Del Mar, the Reddams acquired a colt by First Dude for $70,000 and a colt by Lookin at Lucky for $90,000 through bloodstock agent Jamie McCalmont. Cecil will train those colts.

For the Reddams, the success of the Square Eddie progeny could put the stable back in the winner’s circle of leading stakes. I’ll Have Another was the sort of horse for which an owner strives. In 2012, I’ll Have Another won the Santa Anita Derby, Kentucky Derby, and Preakness in consecutive starts. He missed the Belmont Stakes and an attempt at the Triple Crown due to a leg injury and was retired. I’ll Have Another later was sent to stud in Japan.

Paul Reddam, 59, said his enthusiasm waned to an extent after that season.

“I think there is kind of a falloff,” he said. “It’s hard to stay as excited. You get a little jaded. I try to block all of that.”

The quickest way to revive interest is a stable full of promising 2-year-olds.

“I think we’re kind of loaded,” Reddam said.

There could be plenty of trips to the winner’s circle this summer.