Race Preview: Eddie D. Stakes - Santa Anita, September 27, 2013

Southern California racing is back at Santa Anita on Friday for the start of the meet that leads up to the 2013 Breeders' Cup World Championships. The feature race on Friday is the Grade 3 Eddie D. Stakes for three-year-olds and upward going the about distance of six and one half-furlongs down the hillside turf course. It's a wide open race; let's take a look.

The morning line favorite for the race, and a lukewarm one at that, is four-year-old colt Unbridled's Note. The son of Unbridled's Song has two wins and a second down the hill with second in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and a win in the Eddie D. last year. This year, Unbridled's Note is taking a different path, having not run since the Churchill Downs Stakes on May 4. This may purely be a prep race for the Turf Sprint.

Second choice on the line is Chips All In, who is coming off a second place finish in a one-mile allowance race on the turf at Del Mar. The North Light-colt is also familiar with the course with a win and a second in two career starts. The win came in the Grade 3 San Simeon over Grade 1 winner Obviously in April of this year.

After that the field opens up, six other horses are between 6-1 and 10-1 on the morning line including comebacker Caracortado. "Scarface" last race in the Grade 3 Daytona over the hillside turf course back in January 2012. He is a Grade 2 winner, Grade 1 placed and is a threat if ready to roll off the long layoff. Again, this may be purely a prep race for the Michael Machowsky-trained gelding.

Other to consider are Et Tu Walker, who has found his home sprinting on the turf, Boat Trip, fourth in the Green Flash Handicap last out, Sirocco Strike, winner by disqualification in the Green Flash, and Snowday, the French-bred colt making his U.S. debut for the Wertheimer's and trainer Gary Mandella.

First post on Friday at the Great Race Place is 4:00 pm ET with the Eddie D. off at 7:37.