Square Eddie Tops San Rafael Stakes Contenders

by Patricia Woo | Jan 13 2009

Square Eddie tops the list of contenders for the $150,000 Gr. 3 San Rafael Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, Jan. 17. A 1-mile race for 3-year-olds, the San Rafael Stakes is considered the first major test of Santa Anita Park’s winter/spring meet. Other notable nominees include Brother Keith, who will get the expertise of top jockey Garret Gomez, Fiddlers Afleet, who last turned out a runner-up performance in the Damon Runyon Stakes and Frumious, who posted three straight wins at Golden Gate Fields in 2008.

A strong runner-up in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile behind Midshipman in October, Square Eddie is making a name for himself as one of the top 3-year-old prospects of 2009. This son of Smart Strike earned that spot in the Breeders’ Cup with a phenomenal win in the Breeders’ Cup Futurity, a trend that trainer Doug O’Neill hopes will continue in 2009. "He was so easy and so impressive," O’Neill said after Square Eddie’s Jan. 8 workout at Hollywood Park, in which he breezed six furlongs in 1:13.40. "He galloped out full of energy." Rafael Bejarano, who was aboard for Square Eddie’s Breeders’ Futurity victory, is scheduled to get the mount for the San Rafael Stakes.

Trainer Bobby Frankel has chosen the San Rafael Stakes as the graded stakes debut for his promising 3-year-old Brother Keith. The Kentucky-bred son of Johar has milers in his pedigree and has shown potential, winning his only start by 2 1/4 lengths at Churchill Downs in November. His winning time over the 6 1/2-mile course was 1:17.76. Top jockey Garrett Gomez is slated to get the mount.

Runner-up to top prospect Haynesfield in the Damon Runyon Stakes at Aqueduct in December, Fiddlers Afleet has been working out in California since being purchased by Marc Ferrell in preparation for the San Rafael Stakes. The New York-bred 3-year-old will have his third try at a race beyond two turns; aside from his second-place finish in the 1 1/16-mile Damon Runyon Stakes, he finished a distant third in the 1-mile Sleepy Hollow Stakes at Belmont Park in October. "This horse has plenty of speed… we're going to find out if he can carry that speed around two turns," commented previous trainer Tom Bush prior to Fiddlers Afleet's Damon Runyon Stakes performance. After watching a recent six-furlong workout in 1:13.60, new trainer John O'Hara noted simply, "He acts like a really nice horse." Jockey Michael Baze will be aboard Fiddlers Afleet for the first time in the San Rafael Stakes.

After powering to an early lead but weakening in the final furlong in the 1 1/16-mile CashCall Futurity on Dec. 20, Frumious is turning back the distance for the San Rafael Stakes. Trained by Jeff Bonde, this son of 1996 Kentucky Derby winner Grindstone went three-for-three on the synthetic course at Golden Gate Fields in 2008, including a 1-mile wire-to-wire allowance race win in November. Victor Espinoza, who rode Frumious in the CashCall Futurity, again has the call.

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