ARCADIA, Calif. (Dec. 29, 2019)–Hronis Racing’s Encoder stalked the early pace and took command turning for home en route to a half length win in Sunday’s $75,000 Eddie Logan Stakes at Santa Anita. Ridden by Joel Rosario and trained by John Sadler, Encoder, a 2-year-old colt by English Channel, got a mile over a turf course listed as “good” in 1:34.14.
A close third behind dueling leaders Goliad and Smooth Like Strait into and around the Club House turn, Encoder loomed up three-wide to engage for the lead turning for home, drew well clear and held off the late charge of longshot Hariboux for the victory.
“We had a perfect trip,” said Rosario. “It looked like those two horses on the lead were running pretty good and I just followed in behind them. John said to let this horse place himself, and that’s what he did. When I asked him, he picked it up really nice.”
An even seventh in the Grade III Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar Dec. 1, Encoder, who was ridden for the first time by Rosario, was off at 8-1 in a field of nine sophomores and paid $19.40, $9.80 and $5.60.
“He’s been a little unlucky,” said Sadler. “In the Breeders’ Cup (Juvenile Turf Sprint, finishing sixth two starts back on Nov. 1) he had to check on the backside, he got beat a couple of lengths…turf racing can go like that. Last time, Johnny Velazquez said he didn’t have any room in the stretch…If John Velazquez tells you that, you tend not to lose confidence and move forward.”
A one mile turf stakes winner in his second start on Sept. 1, Encoder, who is out of the Hard Spun mare Nono Rose, won his third race from six overall starts and with the winner’s share of $49,320, increased his earnings to $162,271.
Sadler also made a point to acknowledge Santa Anita’s legendary shoeshine attendant, Eddie Logan, who operated his shoeshine stand from opening day, Dec. 25, 1934, until shortly before passing at the age of 98 on Jan. 31, 2009.
“I would like to mention Eddie Logan, who this race is named after,” he said. “He was the shoe shine guy for one hundred years–great guy! So Eddie, I hope you are watching upstairs.”
Last for the first half mile, English-bred Hariboux rallied well to be second, 1 ½ lengths in front of Liar Liar. Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Hariboux was off at 34-1 and paid $27.00 and $15.00.
Irish-bred Liar Liar, mid-pack early, was off at 13-1 under Dryden Van Dyke and paid $7.80 to show.
Fractions on the race were 22.80, 45.63, 1:09.64 and 1:21.76.
