Baoma Corporation's Eda became the latest Grade I winner for her red-hot sire Munnings with a gutsy score in the GI Starlet S. at Los Alamitos Saturday night. Speeding out of the outside stall in this six-horse affair, the even-money favorite was in front rounding the first turn, but was headed by 40-1 shot and fellow Bob Baffert pupil Benedict Canyon (Midnight Lute) through a :23.65 first quarter. Meanwhile, their Grade I-winning stablemate Grace Adler (Curlin) caboosed the field. Eda regained command as the half went in :48.96, but Benedict Canyon stuck with her best she could, weakening a bit at the three-eights pole, as did Grace Adler. Cairo Memories (Cairo Prince), who was making her first start on dirt, ranged up to challenge turning for home and Benedict Canyon determinedly tried to keep pace on Eda's outside. Tonito's (Blame) split the Baffert pair to throw her hat in the ring in early stretch, gaining a half-length advantage on Eda. However, Eda refused to be denied, forging her way clear late for a half-length success. Cairo Memories surged late for second with Tonito's holding third.
“She rated off well and you never known how they're going to do going long until you try,” Baffert said. “She relaxed well, but turning for home I wasn't sure. Juan [Hernandez] said she really dug in when she was challenged and didn't want to lose. Pretty exciting, but disappointed in Grace Adler [who finished last]. She got upset in the paddock and [jockey Flavien] Prat told Jimmy [Barnes] she just had no interest in running. [Eda] is getting better and better. Getting the Grade I for her is very important.”
“She relaxed nicely and we had a good position on the outside down the backside,” Hernandez said. “She responded when I asked her at the head of the stretch and when they came to her on the inside and outside she didn't want to let them by. She was very game.”
A $550,000 OBSMAR buy after breezing in :10 flat, Eda crossed the line a nose short in her Santa Anita unveiling June 19, but was promoted to first after the original winner was disqualified for interference. It was 13 1/2 lengths back to the third-place finisher that day. Missing by a head next out in the GII Sorrento S. at Del Mar Aug. 6, she was a well-beaten fifth to re-opposing stablemate Grace Adler in the Sept. 5 GI Del Mar Debutante S. Returning to winning ways in the Anoakia S. back in Arcadia Oct. 24, the bay defeated Tonito's by 4 1/4 lengths last time in Del Mar's Desi Arnaz S. Nov. 13.
Pedigree Notes:
Eda is the fifth Grade I winner for Munnings and third this year, along with Kimari and Jack Christopher. She is also the 23rd graded winner and one of 53 black-type scorers that Coolmore stallion. Eda is the 14th Grade I winner, 29th graded scorer and one of 80 black-type victors out of a daughter of Lemon Drop Kid. Nate McCauley purchased Eda's dam Show Me for $24,000 with the winner in utero at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton February Sale and resold her for $535,000 at the recent Fasig-Tipton November Sale back in foal to Munnings. A half to GSW Aegean (Northern Afleet) and SW Light Bringer (Northern Afleet), Show Me was bred to Bolt d'Oro for 2020, but did noot produce a foal and had a Karakontie (Jpn) filly Mar. 26 of this year.
Saturday, Los Alamitos
STARLET S.-GI, $300,500, Los Alamitos, 12-4, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:44.51, ft.
1–EDA, 120, f, 2, by Munnings
1st Dam: Show Me, by Lemon Drop Kid
2nd Dam: Apt to Star, by Aptitude
3rd Dam: Sweeping, by End Sweep
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($240,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $550,000 2yo '21 OBSMAR). O-Baoma Corporation; B-Nathan McCauley (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Juan J Hernandez. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 6-4-1-0, $370,000. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+.
2–Cairo Memories, 120, f, 2, by Cairo Prince
1st Dam: Incarnate Memories, by Indian Charlie
2nd Dam: Witness Post, by Gone West
3rd Dam: Most Likely, by Fappiano
'TDN Rising Star' 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($50,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-David A Bernsen LLC & Schroeder Farms LLC; B-Brereton C Jones (KY); T-Robert B Hess Jr. $60,000.
3–Tonito's, 120, f, 2, by Blame
1st Dam: Cry Value, by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Value Stream, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Storm Beauty, by Storm Cat
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($17,000 Ylg '20 FTKFEB; $28,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $90,000 2yo '21 OBSMAR). O-Anderson Farms, ERJ Racing LLC, Reddam Racing LLC, John D Fielding & Ryan Lloyd; B-Ghost Hollow Farm LLC (KY); T-Doug F O'Neill. $36,000.
Margins: HF, NK, 3. Odds: 1.10, 3.70, 19.70.
Also Ran: Desert Dawn, Benedict Canyon, Grace Adler. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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