Seven hard-hitting turf horses, headed by millionaire Native Desert and millionaire-in-waiting Irish Prize and including a pair trained by Robert Frankel, are set to go in Saturday's 28th running of the grade I, $400,000 Eddie Read Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on Del Mar's Jimmy Durante Turf Course. Frankel's uncoupled pair is Timboroa, owned by Edmund A. Gann, and Super Quercus, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kenis' 3 + U Stable. Irish Prize, owned by Maktoum al Maktoum and trained by Neil Drysdale, carries three straight wins into the race, and the Read winner's portion of $240,000 would put him well over the $1-million mark. His career ledger now shows eights victories in 20 starts for earnings of $848,524. Native Desert, the Juan Garcia trainee owned by Miguel Rubio, hasn't won since last September, but always seems to be a dangerous horse. He has been out of the money only once in eight starts since his last victory, the California Turf Championship at Bay Meadows. The 5-year-old Timboroa has been out only twice this year, posting a second in Hollywood Park's Fastness Handicap and a third in the Charlie Whittingham Handicap, also at Hollywood Park. He lost to Irish Prize by a neck in the Fastness. Frankel's other runner, Super Quercus, hasn't started since January. Offering more competition will be National Anthem, owned by Richard Duchossois and trained by Ron McAnally; Luis Alfredo Taunay's Redattore, trained by Richard Mandella; and Prestonwood Farm's Special Ring, trained by Julio Canani.
Here's the way the field will line up, with weights and riders: Timboroa, 117, David Flores; Native Desert, 114, Eddie Delahoussaye; Redattore, 115, Alex Solis; Super Quercus, 115, Victor Espinoza; Irish Prize, 122, Gary Stevens; Special Ring, 112, Danny Sorenson; National Anthem, 114, Chris McCarron.
