DEL MAR, Calif. – Baoma Corp’s Eda, a daughter of Munnings coming off a smart stakes tally at Santa Anita a little less than three weeks ago, looms a stout favorite to handle four female juvenile rivals Saturday at Del Mar in the $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes.
This will be the 34th running of the six and one-half furlong test named for the show business star and former Del Mar resident who was famously married to actress Lucille Ball. In fact, it actually will be only the seventh local edition of the race. The first 27 runnings took place at the now-demolished Hollywood Park (which has become the NFL’s SoFi Stadium) under the name of Moccasin Stakes.
Eda races out of the barn of juvenile master Bob Baffert, a seven-time Del Mar training champ, a 14-time winner of the Del Mar Futurity and a double winner of the Desi Arnaz already. The quick bay, a $550,000 2-year-old in-training purchase in Florida last March, has two wins and a second in four starts so far. She captured the Anoakia Stakes at Santa Anita on October 24 last out and also was second, beaten in a photo, in Del Mar’s Grade II Sorrento Stakes in August. She’ll be handled Saturday by top rider Flavien Prat, who guided her to her Anoakia score.
To underline her status in the Desi Arnaz field, a look at morning line maker Jon White’s numbers tell you all you need to know: He’s hung her at 3-5 in the short lineup.
Here’s the field for the sprint in post-position order with riders and odds:
1. Lady T (Victor Espinoza, 7/2)
2. Endless Thirst (Tyler Baze, 30-1)
3. Under the Stars (Abel Cedillo, 5/2)
4. Tonito’s (Mario Gutirrez, 8-1)
5. Eda (Flavien Prat, 3/5)
Lady T was second to Eda in the Anoakia and more than seven lengths ahead of her next closest rival. She is a $235,000 yearling by top sire Into Mischief who trains out of the barn of John Shirreffs. The bay miss was second, beaten a nose, in a straight maiden affair at Del Mar on September 5 in her only other start.
Under the Stars was a good third as the favorite in her debut, a straight maiden affair at Santa Anita on October 31. She has worked smartly since for her conditioner, the aforementioned Baffert.
The Desi Arnaz will be the eighth of nine races on the Saturday program. First post for the afternoon is at 12:30 p.m.
Del Mar Press Release
Photo: Eda winning the Anoakia Stakes under Flavien Prat at Santa Anita on October 24, 2021. (Benoit Photo)
