SMITH & MANDELLA TEAM FOR HARD-FOUGHT HALF LENGTH WIN IN GRADE II, $200,000 EDDIE D STAKES; RUN AT 6 ½ FURLONGS OUT OF TURF CHUTE, WINNER GETS DISTANCE IN 1:14.47

RACE IS NAMED IN HONOR OF RETIRED ALL-TIME GREAT HOF JOCKEY EDDIE DELAHOUSSAYE

ARCADIA, CA (Sept. 30, 2023)—Call ’em the Sunshine Boys. Hall of Famers Richard Mandella, 71, and Mike Smith, 58, combined more than 90 years of racing experience as they teamed for victory in Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 Eddie D Stakes at Santa Anita, as veteran 6-year-old gelding Lane Way attended the pace and kept grinding his way to a half length score, getting 6 ½ furlongs out of the turf chute in 1:14.47.

Named for the legendary Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, the Eddie D was moved from the hillside turf course to the turf chute earlier in the day due to approximately two-fifths of an inch of rain.

Breaking sharply, Lane Way was a joint third, about 2 ½ lengths off longshot Noble Reflection as the field crossed the main track shortly after the break. Smith was then able to work his way closer at the rail in the run to the far turn and was a length off the leader to his outside turning for home. From there, he kept to his task, gaining the ascendancy a sixteenth out.

Away five months prior to finishing fifth in Del Mar’s Grade III Green Flash Handicap at five furlongs Sept. 2, Lane Way was off as 9-5 favorite in a field of 11 and returned $5.60, $3.00 and $2.60.

A Kentucky-bred by Into Mischief, Lane Way is owned by MyRacehorse, who had about 150 people in the Winner’s Circle. In garnering his first graded stakes win, Lane Way earned $120,000 and improved his overall race record to 19-5-6-5.

French-bred Bran, about two lengths off the lead at the top of the lane, finished well, prevailing by a nose over Noble Reflection for second money. Off at 7-2 with Juan Hernandez, Bran paid $4.00 and $2.60.

Off at 15-1 with Mario Gutierrez, Noble Reflection paid $6.80 to show while finishing a half length better than Irish-bred I’m A Gambler.

Fractions on the Eddie D, run over at turf listed as good, were 23.39, 45.86 and 1:08.49.