Reddam's 2-Year-Olds Shine in SA Juvenile
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Found Money gave owner Paul Reddam his seventh 2-year-old winner during Santa Anita Park's spring meet June 21, when he outdueled Doug O'Neill stablemate Mrazek by 1 3/4 lengths to win the $125,000 Santa Anita Juvenile .
Five of those 2-year-old victories are from horses by Square Eddie , who also sired colts Found Money and Mrazek. The top-two finishers are homebreds for Reddam's Reddam Racing.
"We did believe in the stallion, Square Eddie," Reddam said. "His first crop was really good, then there were a bunch of things going on behind the scenes and they didn't have as many foals the next year, but he's on fire right now and there are more coming that we're excited about."
The pair exchanged the lead twice, dueling to fractions of :22.18 and :45.26 through a half-mile, before Found Money took control in the stretch. The winner finished off the 5 1/2 furlongs under Corey Nakatani in 1:04.24 over a track rated fast.
"We thought (Found Money) was quicker than (Mrazek), but we got away great and there wasn't too much heat on the inside, so he was able to be comfortable," Nakatani said. "It's a tribute to Doug and his team, because this horse is like an old pro."
The pace scenario was a pleasant surprise for O'Neill.
"I thought (fifth-place finisher Dubdubwatson) would be at the front, so that was a happy surprise," O'Neill said. "Then, seeing the :22 (at the quarter-mile), that was a super-happy surprise."
Off at 9-2 odds, the winner paid $11.80, $6, and $4 across the board. Mrazek brought $5.60 and $3.60, while third-place finisher, 2 1/4 lengths back, delivered $4.40 to show.
Found Money is out of the General Meeting mare Chanel My Belle. The chestnut colt is undefeated in two starts. He won his debut in a maiden special weight event May 15 over a wet-fast track.
Swiss Minister finished fourth, followed by Dubdubwatson and Pistone Steel, who both left the gate at odds of 2-1.
In the filly equivalent, the $125,000 Landaluce Stakes , Big Chief Racing's Right There won impressively by 4 3/4 lengths over Alien Giant.
After trailing in sixth place with jockey Kent Desormeaux in the field of seven fillies, Right There surged late to hit the wire in 1:05.39 for 5 1/2 furlongs. With the victory, she became the first stakes winner for young sire Eskendereya, who stands at Taylor Made Stallions near Nicholasville, Ky.
"There's no doubt she learned something from her first race," trainer Keith Desormeaux said of the filly's debut May 21, when she ran second to Alien Giant by 3 1/2 lengths. "All the things that a trainer looks for—confidence, good, strong finishing works, strong appetite, good coat color—she had it all coming into today."
Rght There, whose dam is the Deputy Minister mare Elrose, was bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Stables. She is a half sister to grade III winner Super Freaky, who was grade I-placed at Del Mar. Elrose is a half sister to champion and classic winner Silver Charm.