Ladies Din Wins Eddie Read 'Cap

• Email
• Print
• Tweet

The Julio Canani-trained 5-year-old gelding Ladies Din earned his second victory since returning from a fifth-place finish in the Dubai Duty Free (UAE-III) at Nad al Sheba in March, winning the $400,000 Eddie Read Handicap (gr. IT) Sunday at Del Mar. Under Kent Desormeaux, Ladies Din completed the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:48.64 over a firm turf course.

Longshot Gold Nugget led the field out of the chute, under the finish line for the first time, and around the turn into the backstretch as he ran a half-mile in :49.15. Ladies Din tracked 2 1/2 lengths back in second, with Dark Moondancer third. Ladies Din moved up closer on the second turn as favorite Dark Moondancer swung out wide for room. Gold Nugget continued to lead into the stretch with Ladies Din closing and Dark Moondancer shuffling back. Ladies Din assumed the lead just past the eighth pole and held off the late-closing Chester House to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Gold Nugget held for third, followed by Dark Moondancer, Sunshine Street, Falcon Flight, Lord Smith, and Sharan.

Ladies Din (Din's Dancer--Ladies Double, by Kris S.) was bred in Florida by Meadowbrook Farm. Prior to the Eddie Read, he finished second to stablemate Silic in the Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) after returning from a short freshening following his win in the San Francisco Mile Handicap (gr. II). The San Francisco Mile win was his first victory since November of 1998, when he won the Oak Tree Derby (gr. IIT). He finished second, beaten by a neck, to Joe Who in last year's Eddie Read. He earned $240,000 for owners J. Terrance Lanni and Bernard Schiappa with the win, his 10th in 28 career starts.

The second choice in the wagering, Ladies Din returned $6.40, $3.80, and $3.20 and led a $1 exacta worth $17.40.

• Email
• Print
• Tweet