Wildman Jack has hands full with several other speedsters in Eddie D Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Wildman Jack has overcome wide trips, hot fractions, and international travel to emerge as an elite turf sprinter, but those hurdles barely compare to obstacles he faces Friday at Santa Anita.

To win the Grade 3 Eddie D and regain his status as legit contender for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, Wildman Jack must defeat a so-called “Superman,” another horse his trainer said resembles a buffalo, and a cast with as much speed as a Quarter Horse straightaway race.

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The Eddie D, at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf, is race 7 on Friday, opening day of the fall meet, and speedball Wildman Jack will be under severe pressure leaving from the rail. Three rivals employ a similar kamikaze style. The closers El Tigre Terrible and Grit and Curiosity benefit from the pace scenario, and the enigmatic Sparky Ville will saddle in a phone booth, figuratively speaking.

“He’s like Superman,” said Sparky Ville’s trainer, Jeff Bonde. “When he puts his cape on, he’s good. We’re on our game now. Wildman Jack better put his seat belt on this time.”

Those are fighting words, and though Bonde was kidding, Sparky Ville’s résumé supports the smack. Sparky Ville is a graded winner who finished a nose behind Wildman Jack in a similar turf sprint in May.

Four months later, Sparky Ville and Wildman Jack meet again. Wildman Jack set a Meydan course record in March, won the Grade 3 Daytona at Santa Anita in May, and was a pace casualty on dirt last out, fourth in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby at Del Mar.

“He came out of it in great shape, and we’re optimistic we’re going to see a solid effort,” trainer Doug O’Neill said. “His last run five and a half on grass at Santa Anita was pretty special.”

In the 5 1/2-furlong Daytona, Wildman Jack pressed a hot pace to defeat Sparky Ville. Wildman Jack broke from an outside post that day, but on Friday he and Abel Cedillo are buried inside three other speedsters.

“He has to leave there running, and if a few of them Quarter Horse out of there, he can sit in a good spot,” O’Neill said.

One of those speedsters is Mr Vargas, a behemoth returning from a layoff caused by foot issues.

“He could use a start, but he’s training as good as he ever has,” trainer Brian Koriner said, acknowledging that large horses frequently need a prep.

“He probably weighs almost 1,300 pounds. He eats nothing, yet he looks like a buffalo.”

Mr Vargas, a front-running Grade 3 turf sprint winner last year, will influence the pace with speedsters Give Me the Lute and Big Runneur.

The race sets up for 3-year-old stakes winner El Tigre Terrible and comebacker Grit and Curiosity, closers trained by Peter Miller. Grit and Curiosity overcame a brutal trip last out to win an allowance dirt sprint at Oaklawn Park over four next-out winners.