Lieutenant Dan Dominant in Real Good Deal

DEL MAR, CA –  Lieutenant Dan showed explosive late speed winning Saturday’s $150,000 Real Good Deal Stakes for California-bred 3-year-olds at Del Mar. His win here today marked his fourth win in eight career starts including a win in the Echo Eddie Stakes at Santa Anita last April.

Lieutenant Dan broke well from the first post position, shot right out to the lead, and was joined on the outside by the 1-2 post-time favorite Cruel Intention who also broke well and went right to the front. About a length back from the leaders sat the pair of Oliver on the inside and Posterize on the outside while Prodigal Son brought up the rear. On the front end, Lieutenant Dan and Cruel Intention stayed even with one another as they set fractions of :21.91 and :44.62. Into the turn, Cruel Intention started his move on the outside and hit the top of the stretch as the sole leader. As they hit the top of the stretch, Lieutenant Dan rallied on the inside and fought back for the lead. He flew right by Cruel Intention and finished first by an easy three lengths. After being passed by Lieutenant Dan, Cruel Intention began to fade, allowing Oliver to come up on the outside. Oliver finished ahead of Cruel Intention in a photo for second. Posterize was fourth and Prodigal Son was last. 

“We were going a little fast in the beginning, buthe was comfortable,” said winning jockey Drayden Van Dyke. “Good horses can do that. The key with him is to get him to switch leads properly. I was on him for his most recent work and we were working on that. Today he did it perfectly.”

This was the first career start at Del Mar for Lieutenant Dan who is trained by Steve Miyadi and is bred and owned by Nick Alexander.

“We trained him lightly, had one good workout eight or nine days ago, and here we are,” said trainer Steve Miyadi. “We’ll take it. He’ll stay in the Golden State series and probably come back here in the fall for the Cary Grant.”

Lieutenant Dan returned $6.40 to win, $4.00 to place, and $2.20 to show. Oliver brought back $14.40 to place and $3.20 to show, while Cruel Intention paid $2.10 to show.