From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (April 6, 2019)–Nick Alexander’s homebred Lieutenant Dan, who was head and head for the lead into and around the far turn, emerged with a one length advantage a furlong out en route to a 2 ¼ length score under Geovanni Franco in Saturday’s $200,000 Echo Eddie Stakes at Santa Anita. Trained by Steve Miyadi, the 3-year-old gelding by Grazen got 6 ½ furlongs in 1:17.46.
Sponsored by the CTBA, the Echo Eddie, for 3-year-olds, is part of the lucrative Golden State Series for California-bred or sired horses.
“He’s still a work in progress,” said Miyadi, who sent him north to Golden Gate Fields for four length allowance win going 5 ½ furlongs on March 23. “His last race at Golden Gate helped him, no question. He’s still slow to change leads, not in the morning, but in the afternoon, we’ve got some work to do. I was very happy to get Geo (Franco) back on him. We go way back together to Golden Gate.”
Off at 4-1 in a field of 10, Lieutenant Dan, who is out of Alexander’s Indian Charlie mare Excusabull, paid $10.40, $5.00 and $3.40.
With two wins from five starts coming into today, the Echo Eddie is “Dan’s” first stakes win and with the winner’s check of $110,000, he now has earnings of $184,520.
“He broke really well and the key was to get good position,” said Franco. “There was a lot of speed and the eight-horse (Tap the Wire) was outside of me. When it was time to go, my horse responded really well and we just took off.”
Ridden by Tiago Pereira, Principe Carlo was forwardly placed throughout and prevailed by a half length over late running listing for the place. Off at 9-2, Principe Carlo paid $4.80 and $3.20.
Listing, with Joel Rosario up, was off at 3-1 and paid $3.40 to show.
Fractions on the race were 21.82, 45.11 and 1:10.68.