Hunt to Face 10 Sharp Rivals in Eddie Read Stakes

Irish-bred Hunt, the acclaimed grass horse of the 2017 Del Mar summer meeting, returns to the seaside track to seek another win in the $250,000 Eddie Read Stakes (G2T) July 22, when he heads a field of 11 turf specialists.

The 6-year-old Dark Angel gelding won the 2017 Eddie Read and followed it up with a score in the Del Mar Handicap Presented by The Japan Racing Association (G2T). After losses in the John Henry Turf Championship Stakes (G2T) and the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T), where he placed 13th and last, Hunt finished the season with a score in the Seabiscuit Handicap (G2T).

In the Shoemaker Mile Stakes (G1T) at Santa Anita Park in May, Hunt defeated highly regarded Heart to Heart by a neck, with fellow Eddie Read contender Next Shares another neck back in third. 

CROSBY: Hunt Edges Heart to Heart in Shoemaker Mile

Piloted by regular rider Flavien Prat, Hunt will face stern opposition from several formidable foes, including multiple graded winner Itsinthepost; Sharp Samurai, a top 3-year-old a year ago when he won the La Jolla Handicap (G3T), Del Mar Derby (G2T), and the Twilight Derby (G2T); and Bowies Hero, who was victorious in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (G1T) in March.

CROSBY: Bowies Hero Upsets Kilroe Mile for First Grade 1 Score

Itsinthepost, trained by Jeff Mullins, has won four of his last five outings, including the Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita in late May. Sharp Samurai returned from a six-month layoff to win an optional-claiming allowance race at Santa Anita in handy style, and Bowies Hero was fifth behind Hunt in the Shoemaker Mile.

Others in the field include Irish-bred True Valour, who will make his American debut under jockey Jamie Spencer for trainer John Murtagh, and millionaire Flamboyant. 

Entries: Eddie Read S. (G2T)

Del Mar, Sunday, July 22, 2018, Race 8

• Grade IIT
• 1 1/8m
• Turf
• $250,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 5:37 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1True Valour (IRE)	Jamie P. Spencer	120	John P. Murtagh	15/1
2	2Next Shares (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	120	Richard Baltas	8/1
3	3Flamboyant (FR)	Brice Blanc	120	Patrick Gallagher	20/1
4	4Bowies Hero (KY)	Corey S. Nakatani	124	Philip D'Amato	8/1
5	5Sharp Samurai (KY)	Gary L. Stevens	120	Mark Glatt	7/2
6	6Catapult (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	120	John W. Sadler	15/1
7	7Hunt (IRE)	Flavien Prat	124	Philip D'Amato	3/1
8	8Multiplier (KY)	Victor Espinoza	120	Peter Miller	20/1
9	9Itsinthepost (FR)	Tyler Baze	122	Jeff Mullins	5/2
10	10Prime Attraction (KY)	Kent J. Desormeaux	120	James M. Cassidy	20/1
11	11Fashion Business (GB)	Joseph Talamo	120	Philip D'Amato	15/1