Lane Way Returns to Santa Anita Form in Eddie D Win
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Mike Smith and Lane Way after winning the Eddie D Stakes at Santa Anita Park
The 6-year-old gelding Lane Way stalked the early pace before grinding out a popular half-length win in the $200,000 Eddie D Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, and hundreds if not thousands of micro-share owners that make up the partnership known as MyRacehorse.
Bran was a half-length back in second, coming out ahead in a nose photo over Noble Reflection .
The Eddie D was slated for the downhill turf course but after torrential rain instead started from the turf chute, although still at its originally intended distance of 6 1/2 furlongs.
Despite running fifth last time out in the Green Flash (G3T) at Del Mar, Lane Way went off favored in a field of 11 on the basis of his prior success at Santa Anita, where he won twice at this distance last winter. The son of Into Mischief now has four wins and four seconds from nine tries on Santa Anita's grass.
"He is just a really nice horse," Mandella said. "We gave him a good rest. Kind of planned to get him at his best at this time of year and it worked. It doesn't always, but it worked this time."
Smith said he was "honored" to win the race named for Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, part of the legendary Southern California riders' colony of the 1980s and 1990s.
"I look up to him and still do," Smith said. "I tried to ride him like he would so I come in and nail them at the last part."
Lane Way paid $5.60.
The unrivaled Into Mischief, on his way to a fifth time as leading sire, stands for $250,000 at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Ky.
Video: Eddie D S. (G2T)