Marckie's Water, Eddie Haskell Stand Out at Santa Anita

A switch to jockey Tiago Pereira has paid off nicely for the connections of Marckie's Water as the California-bred horse took another big step forward with his new rider, winning the $200,000 Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park.

The May 25 victory, the first in a graded stakes for Marckie's Water, came on the heels of trainer Richard Baltas putting Pereira on the California-bred son of Tribal Rule for a half-length victory in an allowance/optional claimer April 28.

In his start before that, Little Red Feather Racing and Norman Tavares' 5-year-old was third in the March 29 San Luis Rey Stakes (G2T) under Mario Gutierrez.

The move to Pereira also coincided with a return to Marckie's Water's late-running style as he rallied wide from sixth in a field of seven to get up in the final strides over LNJ Foxwoods' United, with Sharon Alesia, Bran Jam Stable and Ciaglia Racing's Ashleyluvssugar another half-length back in third.

DP Racing's Prime Attraction, the 8-5 favorite, was fourth.

The win was the sixth in 18 starts for Marckie's Water—bred by Frank Mermenstein and Tom McCrocklin out of the Stravinsky mare Russian River—and increased his earnings to $466,683. The 2-1 second choice ($6.80) covered the 1 1/4 miles in 2:00.95 on firm turf.

"I grew up idolizing Charlie Whittingham and to win a graded stake in his name with a Cal-bred is amazing," said Billy Koch of Little Red Feather. "We thought when they turned for home that he was going to run last, he wasn't firing, then all of a sudden he found daylight and he just went. That was an extremely impressive performance. We've told Tiago this horse likes to make a last run and he likes to be outside of horses. It was pretty amazing down the lane.

"Kudos to Ritchie Baltas and his team and all of the Little Red Feather partners out there. This means a lot. It's a grade 2, a big race, especially for a Cal-bred. Tom McCrocklin is here who bred the horse, and Frank Mermenstein is probably out there watching.

"Russian River is amazing, she was such a fun horse to watch and she's produced now See Smoke and Marckies Water—who is now a graded stakes winner—and Opus One, who won a few weeks ago, it's a great family."

Eddie Haskell Takes Daytona Stakes

It was as though June Cleaver was watching.

Philip Wood and Jim Hailey's Eddie Haskell was once again in top form as he continued a stretch of excellent efforts with a 1 3/4-length victory in the $100,000 Daytona Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita on the Saturday card.

A 4-5 favorite trained by Mark Glatt, Eddie Haskell ($3.60) tracked the early pace of What'sontheagenda before powering to the front in the final furlong of the five-furlong stakes for 3-year-olds and up.

"He's just phenomenal. When I pushed the button, he gave me whiplash—popped a wheelie and took off and went after the leader," jockey Kent Desormeaux said.

Claimed by his connections for $50,000 on April 26, 2018, from Reddam Racing—his original owner and breeder—the California-bred son of Square Eddie  registered his first graded stakes victory while winning for the fourth time in his past six starts. He has been worse than third only once in his past 14 starts. 

Eddie Haskell was timed in :55.49, a bit off the track record of :55.06 he set Feb. 22.

Out of the Boston Harbor mare Teresa Ann, Eddie Haskell has eight wins in 20 starts and earnings of $453,107.

What'sontheagenda—owned by the Beerman Family Trust, Greg Hall, and Sayjay Racing—finished a half-length ahead of West Point Thoroughbreds' Kanthaka.

"He's a top horse going five-eighths (on turf)," Glatt said. "He won throttled down today, man. That was impressive. I wasn't worried about where he was early. I thought I was running the best horse. He's learned to come from a little bit off the pace, and I think it's even made him a little better horse going five furlongs. It was cool. … We just hope we can keep him healthy and take it race by race, and if he gets us to the Breeders' Cup in the end of the year, I'm sure we will take a shot."