Stormy Liberal Faces Familiar Rivals in Eddie D

The top three from the Aug. 17 Green Flash Handicap (G3T) at Del Mar—Mr Vargas, Eddie Haskell, and Stormy Liberal—are set to face off again in the $200,000 Eddie D Stakes (G2T) Sept. 27 at Santa Anita Park.

While the first two finishers have not run since the Green Flash, Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen's Stormy Liberal made a trip to Kentucky Downs, where he was fifth, beaten three lengths, in the Runhappy Turf Sprint Stakes (G3T).

Trainer Peter Miller said the reigning male turf champion—winner of the past two editions of the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T)—did not care for the turf course at Kentucky Downs but came out of the race well. The loss left the 7-year-old Stormy Atlantic  gelding with a 0-2-2 record in five starts this year.

"It's not been exactly the way we would have planned," Miller said of Stormy Liberal's 2019 campaign. "We would have liked to have had a couple of wins by now, but the horse is sound and healthy. He was a longshot both times he won the Breeders' Cup (7-1 in 2018 and 30-1 in 2017). Maybe that's the way he likes to do it."

Philip Wood and James Hailey's Eddie Haskell will be a chief rival in Friday's eight-horse field. Mark Glatt trains the 6-year-old Square Eddie  gelding who was second—beaten 2 1/4 lengths by Mr Vargas—in the Green Flash. That effort followed three straight victories, including the Daytona Stakes (G3T) and Siren Lure Stakes over the Eddie D's course and distance of five furlongs.

"We were lucky enough to claim him for $50,000, and he's turned into a fantastic claim, obviously, for us," said Glatt, who picked up Eddie Haskell for the current owners in an April 2018 claiming race at Santa Anita. Glatt is hopeful for an opportunity in the Breeders' Cup if Eddie Haskell runs well.

Jay Em Ess Stable's Mr Vargas, a 5-year-old gelding by Midshipman , was named the 5-2 morning-line favorite. The Brian Koriner trainee led at every point of call in the Green Flash and led most of the way in a July 21 allowance optional claimer at Del Mar one start earlier. Both of those wins came at five furlongs, a distance in which he holds a 2-1-1 record in four starts.

Joe Talamo will ride Mr Vargas from post 6, Eddie Haskell (3-1) will have Joel Rosario aboard from the rail, and Stormy Liberal (4-1) will be guided by Norberto Arroyo Jr. from post 5.

Nick Alexander's homebred Pee Wee Reese is the co-second choice at 3-1. The 6-year-old son of  Tribal Rule returned from a seven-month layoff to win the March 31 Sensational Star Stakes at Santa Anita, and the Eddie D will be his first start since.

Robert Abrams, Mitchell Dutko, and Michael Paran's stakes winner Tribalist is entered for his second start off an 11-month layoff. An 8-year-old son of Tribal Rule, Tribalist came back July 24 in a five-furlong allowance optional claimer on Del Mar's turf and was second to Eddie Haskell the entire trip, missing by a neck.

Entries: Eddie D S. (G2T)

Santa Anita Park, Friday, September 27, 2019, Race 6

• Grade IIT
• 5f
• Turf
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 3:40 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Eddie Haskell (CA)	Joel Rosario	125	Mark Glatt	3/1
2	2Pee Wee Reese (CA)	Flavien Prat	125	Philip D'Amato	3/1
3	3Lombo (KY)	Geovanni Franco	125	Philip D'Amato	30/1
4	4Boa Nova (IRE)	Edwin A. Maldonado	120	Anna Meah	20/1
5	5Stormy Liberal (KY)	Norberto Arroyo, Jr.	125	Peter Miller	4/1
6	6Mr Vargas (FL)	Joseph Talamo	125	Brian J. Koriner	5/2
7	7Double Touch (GB)	John R. Velazquez	123	John W. Sadler	12/1
8	8Tribalist (CA)	Victor Espinoza	123	Blake R. Heap	5/1