From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, CA (April 5, 2023)—One race after the Grade I Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on Saturday, 3-year-old statebreds take the spotlight with an intriguing rematch between Kangaroo Court and Bus Buzz in the $150,000 Echo Eddie Stakes.
Contested at 6 ½ furlongs on the main track, the Echo Eddie has a field of eight that also includes the ascendant Clouseau for trainer Ian Kruljac and promising debut winner Left Hand Man for trainer Mark Glatt.
Kangaroo Court was a 14 ¼ -length maiden winner sprinting at Del Mar last August before heading to the sidelines for the remainder of the year. He returned here on March 4 in a first-level allowance for statebreds where he hooked Bus Buzz, who himself had served notice when popping a 93 Beyer Speed Figure in his Feb. 4 bow here going six furlongs on the main track.
In their first matchup, contested at six furlongs, Kangaroo Court and Bus Buzz dueled through fractions of 21.60 and 44.0 seconds for the opening half mile before Kangaroo Court edged clear in the stretch to win by 1 ¾ lengths. With a sharp winning time of 1:08.6, Kangaroo Court earned a 95 Beyer, which ranks among the highest earned by a 3-year-old this year.
A 3-year-old gelding by Dads Caps, Kangaroo Court is owned by George A. Sharp and trained by Tim Yakteen. He was purchased by Sharp for $7,500 at the 2021 Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Fall Mixed Sale. Jockey Flavien Prat, who was aboard for the allowance win, again has the call on Saturday.
Prior to meeting Kangaroo Court in his second start, Bus Buzz won his aforementioned debut by eight lengths under Edwin Maldonado. The Stay Thirsty gelding ran six furlongs in 1:09.60, which returned a lofty 93 Beyer Speed Figure.
Bus Buzz is trained by Steve Knapp and campaigned by breeder Terry Lovinger with Thomas E. Halasz and Amanda Navarro. He will again have Maldonado in the irons.
Clouseau has his connections thinking big after he followed a Jan. 8 maiden win here with a first-level allowance score against statebreds Jan. 27. Both were at six furlongs on the main track. Jockey Geovanni Franco was aboard for both outings and he again has the call on Saturday.
By Distorted Hero, Clouseau commanded $150,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings and Horses of All Ages sale. He is campaigned by ISK Racing Stable, Doug Hames, Rebekha Lawless, Tom. D Lawless, Frank Lewkowitz and Karen Lewkowitz.
Left Hand Man debuted here March 5 going six furlongs on the main track and scored by a length under Kazushi Kimura after dueling on the lead. A 3-year-old colt by Cat Burglar, Left Hand Man is campaigned by breeder Richard Barton. He will again have Kimura aboard.
THE ECHO EDDIE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 7 of 12 Approximate post time 3 p.m. PT
- Barely Functional – Mario Gutierrez – 120
- Kangaroo Court – Flavien Prat – 122
- Bus Buzz – Edwin Maldonado – 120
- Clovisconnection – Kevin Radke – 124
- Left Hand Man – Kazushi Kimura – 120
- Austonian – Hector Berrios – 120
- Clouseau – Geovanni Franco – 122
- Good N Thirsty – Armando Aguilar – 120
First post time for a 12-race card on Saturday is at 12 noon. Admission gates open at 10 a.m.