Easy Grader faces stiff test

DEL MAR, Calif. – After the madness of opening day, it’s take-back-the-neighborhood day on Thursday at Del Mar, and for a crowd that will be largely made up of locals, it would be appropriate for the locally owned Easy Grader to make off with the day’s featured race, an optional-claiming turf sprint for fillies and mares.

Easy Grader is a homebred for the Academic Farms of Larry Samovar, a communications professor emeritus at San Diego State who is a longtime racing fan and has had horses with trainer Eddie Truman for three decades. Easy Grader won over this course last year, and Truman is hopeful that she can do it again on Thursday, but she is coming back on short rest, having finished third down the hill at Santa Anita on July 4 in her first start since November.

“It is back a little quick, but it’s now or wait for six weeks, and she likes this course, so those were all factors,” Truman said while watching his horses train here Monday. “I do wish the race was a little farther. Five furlongs is a little suspect.”

Easy Grader won over this course and five-furlong distance last summer, but that was a first-level allowance for California-breds. A subsequent win in an open, first-level allowance forces her into this secondlevel allowance spot, and the race came up solid, with course specialist Snow Cloud, the turnback play Tapped, and the hardhitting claimer Wedding Blush among her rivals.

Nine are entered in the race, which goes as race 7 on an eightrace card that begins at 2 p.m. Pacific.

KEY CONTENDERS

Easy Grader, by Tribal Rule Last 3 Beyers: 87-70-83

◗ She received a lifetimebest Beyer Speed Figure in her comeback race last time out.

◗ She came back on short rest for her second start last summer and finished fourth, hence Truman’s concerns about the quick turnaround.

Snow Cloud, by Kodiac Last 3 Beyers: 77-78-73

◗ She has lost her last six starts dating to last summer, but this is the course on which she has done best since being imported from Europe. She has won twice here and has finished in the money three times in four starts.

◗ Because she already has won at this allowance condition, she is entered for the $62,500 claiming tag.

Tapped, by Tapit Last 3 Beyers: 74-69-75

◗ A 3-year-old facing elders, she returns to sprinting – at which she is unbeaten – following a freshening after finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Ashland.

◗ This is her first time on turf, but she was entered twice in grass races that were rained off, so the intent has been there.

Wedding Blush, by Pure Prize Last 3 Beyers: 83-68-77

◗ She finished second in a downhill turf sprint at Santa Anita last time out when adding blinkers after being claimed in her prior start by Kristin Mulhall.

◗ She has won six times in 24 starts.