Santa Anita Park Preview | Eddie Logan Stakes 2023

                Peter Eurton’s talented 2-year-old ridgling Stay Hot will hope to on Friday at Santa Anita, as he faces eight rivals going one mile on turf in the $100,000 Eddie Logan Stakes.

                The Eddie Logan is named in honor of Santa Anita’s original shoeshine attendant, who operated his shoeshine stand at The Great Race Place from its opening in 1934 until shortly before his death at the age of 98 on Jan. 31, 2009.  Logan, who often referred to himself as a “Footman,” was one of the most popular employees to ever work at Santa Anita.

                First post time for a nine-race card on Friday is at 12 noon  Admission and parking are free on all Fridays and $3 beers and $5 margaritas are also offered.

                Fresh off an impressive come from behind win at one mile on grass in the Grade III Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar Dec. 3, Stay Hot broke his maiden two starts back at the same trip here on Oct. 7 looks like the horse to beat in what will be his third stakes engagement and sixth overall start.

                Breaking from the far outside in a field of nine on Dec. 3, Stay Hot settled nicely off the pace but was forced to concede a lot of ground around the final turn.  Full of run while next to last three furlongs out, Antonio Fresu turned him loose midway around the turn and although he was caught nine-wide turning for home, he was up to prevail by a neck in a very impressive effort.

                Owned by Burns Racing, LLC and Exline-Border Racing, Stay Hot, a Kentucky-bred by Summer Front, will be ridden back by Fresu, who has been aboard for all five of his starts—winning two of them.

                Lightly raced, Gary and Mary West’s homebred American Hope pressed the pace en route to a solid neck victory in a one mile maiden race Nov. 12 at Del Mar and rates a big chance with Flavien Prat riding him back on Friday.

                Trained by Phil D’Amato, American Hope, who was third in his six furlong maiden debut Oct. 8, was off at 8-5 for his Nov. 12 win and acts like a colt with a bright future.  By 2015 Triple Crown Champion American Pharoah, American Hope earned a solid 72 Beyer Speed Figure in his maiden win.

                Including Stay Hot, five of the Logan starters exit the Cecil DeMille Dec. 3, including D’Amato’s Miracle Mark, who was close to the pace the entire trip and in a three-horse photo, ended up third, beaten a neck and a head for first money.

                Owned by Slam Dunk Racing and Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC, Miracle Mark was bred in Kentucky by Slam Dunk’s Nick Cosato.  By Constitution, he broke his maiden at one mile on grass two starts back here on Oct. 29 in gate to wire fashion and should be forwardly placed again under regular rider Diego Herrera.

THE EDDIE LOGAN WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 9 Approximate post time 3 p.m. PT

1. Charge for Gold – Ricado Gonzalez – 118
2. Lord Bullingdon – Umberto Rispoli – 122
3. Practically Broke – Juan Hernandez – 118
4. Invincible – Luis Contreras – 118
5. Twirling Point – Kazushi Kimura – 120
6. Final Boss – Lanfranco Dettori – 118
7. Miracle Mark – Diego Herrera – 120
8. American Hope – Flavien Prat – 120
9. Stay Hot—Antonio Fresu—120