TALENTED LADY SHIPMAN SHIPS WEST TO TAKE ON BOYS GOING 6 ½ FURLONGS DOWN HILLSIDE TURF IN FIRST DIV

AUTUMN MEET OPENING DAY CARD OFFERS NINE RACES, FIRST POST TIME AT 1 P.M.; ALL ON-TRACK ATTENDEES TO RECEIVE FREE CALIFORNIA CHROME POSTER

ARCADIA, Calif. (Sept. 27, 2016)—Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin’s talented Lady Shipman will take on a 10 rivals (nine of whom are males) in Friday’s Grade III, $100,000 Eddie D. Stakes, Santa Anita’s Autumn Meet opening day feature at 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf course. Oversubscribed, with a total of 26 three year olds and up entered, the Eddie D. will be run in two divisions, with Lady Shipman competing in the first, which has been carded as race six. (Each division will go with 11 runners and two horses on the Also Eligible list).

Second, beaten a neck versus males in last year’s Grade I Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland, the 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Midshipman will hope to use the Eddie D. as a springboard to this year’s Turf Sprint, which will be run over the course on Nov. 5.

LADY SHIPMAN: Bred by Randall E. Lowe and owned by Ranlo Investments, LLC, she’s enjoyed another outstanding year, winning five out of seven turf sprints, including her last two. An absolute gem of consistency, Lady Shipman is 19-13-2-2 overall, with nine of her wins coming at as many different tracks. Quick from the gate in all but one of her starts, she has amassed earnings of $896,042. Based most recently at Belmont Park, the Eddie D. will be her first start west of the Mississippi River. Irad Ortiz, Jr., who has won with three out five engagements with her, will fly in from New York to ride.

Justin Squared: Lightly raced and quick from the gate in a race that would appear to have an abundance of early lick, this Bob Baffert trainee comes off a pair of disappointing finishes in graded stakes, as he was 11th in the Grade II, seven furlong Woody Stephens on June 11 at Belmont Park and most recently, sixth in the Grade I, six furlong Bing Crosby at Del Mar July 31. A scintillating winner of his first three starts, this 3-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by Zensational will hope to get back in the win column in his turf debut. Owned by Zayat Stables, LLC, he’s been ridden in all five of his starts by Martin Pedroza.

THE GRADE III EDDIE D. STAKES (1ST DIVISION) IN POST POSITON ORDER WITH JOCKEYS 7 WEIGHTS

Race 6 (of 9) Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PST

1. Lady Shipman—Irad Ortiz, Jr.—122 2. Iron Rob—Norberto Arroyo, Jr.—118 3. Richard’s Boy—Victor Espinoza—121 4. Mrazek—Mario Gutierrez—118 5. War Envoy—Martin Garcia—121 6. Clever Royal—Rafael Bejarano—121 7. Justin Squared—Martin Pedroza—118 8. Hunt—Flavien Prat—121 9. Why Two—Kent Desormeaux—121 10. Ambitious Brew—Mike Smith—121 11. La Berma—Santiago Gonzalez—118

Also Eligibles

12. Forever Juanito—Agapito Delgadillo—121 13. Horse Laugh—Gary Stevens–121

First post time on opening day, Friday, is at 1 p.m. Admission gates open at 11 a.m. For scratches, late changes and complete morning line information, please visit santaanita.com.