Lane Way fresh for San Simeon

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ARCADIA, Calif. – Turf sprinters on the Santa Anita hillside course will run for a lot more money this fall than the $100,000 offered Saturday in the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes, but the winter stakes came up deep even if the purse did not.

Nine veterans – eight geldings and a ridgling – will try to establish hillside form in the San Simeon on Saturday, while their connections ponder a lucrative hillside stakes race in September. The purse for the Grade 2 Eddie D will be boosted to $750,000, according to 1/ST Racing.

Meanwhile, the San Simeon is led by course specialists Lane Way and Air Force Red. The 6 1/2-furlong turf race also includes the top four finishers from the restricted Clocker’s Corner Stakes – Irideo, Mucho Del Oro, Sumter, and Daniel’s Magic.

Others in the San Simeon, race 7, are European import Ottoman Prince, graded winner Dancing Buck, and longshot Mynumerouno. Lane Way is no cinch, but the 7-year-old probably is the horse to beat making his first start in four months.

“He runs well fresh,” trainer Richard Mandella said. “He just needed a little time between [starts], that’s all.”

Lane Way’s four starts on the hill produced two wins and two Grade 2 seconds. His pressing style should lead to a comfortable trip behind front-runners Mucho Del Oro and Dancing Buck. Mike Smith rides Lane Way.

Mandella has seen changes in his second starter, Sumter.

“He’s been gelded, and I think he’s improving,” the trainer said.

In his first start as a gelding, Sumter finished third in the Clocker’s Corner. Umberto Rispoli rides late-runner Sumter for Mandella, whose recent record in graded stakes is noteworthy – 11 for 23 since early November.

Air Force Red has won 3 of 5 on the hill, including a Grade 2, but the ridgling has not raced in nine months.

“He’s pretty fit and he’s great down the hill,” trainer Leonard Powell said. “He’s been working well. He’s ready to run.”

Powell named the right jockey for a hillside race. The past two Santa Anita winter meets, Frankie Dettori is 9 for 27 on the hill.

Irideo scored an upset last out in the Clocker’s Corner, a restricted race on the hill that produced the last three San Simeon winners. Irideo scratched from the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile on March 3 due to course condition.

“It was going to be a little too soft for him,” trainer Marcelo Polanco said. “The whole family hates a soft track.”

The challenge for Irideo is running two alike. Polanco believes he benefited recently by a lighter training regimen. Jeremy Laprida rode Irideo to victory last out and retains the mount.

Ottoman Prince, purchased for a reported $180,000 at a European auction last year, makes his U.S. debut for trainer Phil D’Amato. Flavien Prat rides the only 4-year-old in the San Simeon field. Ottoman Prince won 3 of 6 in England.

The turf rails are down Saturday, and the course should play fair. This winter, eight hillside sprints were run with the rails at zero – three winners led throughout, three rallied from third or fourth, and two others rallied from the back.