Shady Tiger roars to victory in Echo Eddie

ARCADIA, Calif. – An hour after Stronghold won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby for trainer Phil D’Amato, Shady Tiger rallied from slightly off the pace to win the $127,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old sprinters and give the stable a second stakes win of the day.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Shady Tiger ($8) finished 5 1/2 lengths in front of 27-1 Stay on the Fence, who finished a nose in front of 7-1 Two by Four in the field of nine.

Hernandez had Shady Tiger in third and then fifth between horses for the first half-mile, stalking 51-1 Prince Prancealot through an opening quarter-mile in 22.27 seconds and a half-mile in 45.17.

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Hernandez moved Shady Tiger to the outside before the stretch run and closed with a four-wide move to take a commanding lead.

Shady Tiger ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.61 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 79, equaling his career best.

Tom Seaver, the 5-2 favorite, finished fourth after leading briefly in early stretch. Tom Seaver, trained by D’Amato, was beaten for the first time in his third start.

Known Idea finished fifth, followed by Refocus, Prince Princealot, Puddin Head Jones, and Last Call London.

Shady Tiger, a gelding by Smiling Tiger, races for owner and breeder Rusty Brown, and won his third consecutive race in the Echo Eddie, his fourth start. Shady Tiger has earned $166,400.

Roberta's Love takes the Evening Jewel

Earlier on the 12-race program, Roberta’s Love led throughout the $125,500 Evening Jewel Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old fillies, giving jockey Frankie Dettori his third of six consecutive wins.

Roberta’s Love ($21.60) was challenged early by Clubhouse Bride and was clear through the stretch, beating 2-1 Safa by 1 3/4 lengths. Clubhouse Bride (15-1) faded to finish third, beaten 2 1/2 lengths.

The remaining order of finish was Quick Kate, 6-5 favorite Mirinda and Grease Missle.

Roberta’s Love, who races for BG Stables and Royalty Stables and trainer Hector Palma, ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.83. Roberta’s Love earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 73.

“I was surprised,” Dettori said. She broke “like a rocket and within 50 yards, we were clear of the field and at the rail. I thought if nobody hassled with me, I’d be very hard to catch and that was the case.”

Dettori finished the day one win shy of equaling the all-time record of wins in a single day at Santa Anita, which was set by Laffit Pincay, Jr., in March 1987.

By Collected, Roberta’s Love has won 2 of 3 starts and earned $121,800. She was third in her debut in a maiden race in February and won a maiden race for statebred fillies at six furlongs on March 17. Dettori rode Roberta’s Love for the first time on Saturday, replacing Tiago Pereira who was aboard Safa.

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