BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Coming off a disappointing disqualification from victory in the Grade 3 Green Flash at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on Aug. 30, Alex and JoAnn Lieblong’s homebred Reef Runner avenged that misfortune with come-from-behind victory in the $200,000 Eddie D Stakes (Grade 2) at Santa Anita Saturday. Eight 3-year-olds and older sprinted six-and-a-half furlongs on the downhill turf course in a significant preview of the $1 Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) to be run at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
Florida-bred Reef Runner and jockey Armando Ayuso were just getting underway from last as the field came off the downhill course and onto the main part of the turf course at the top of the stretch. Yellow Card and jockey Kazushi Kimura sprinted past the pace-setting Mucho Del Oro with a furlong to run but Reef Runner was well under way on the outside with a length-and-a-half still to make up. It was a two horse race approaching the finish with Yellow Card still a length in front pas the sixteenth pole when Reef Runner surged to the lead to win by a half-length in 1:11.65. Yellow Card was second with Sorrento Sky (Ire) third. Mucho Del Oro, Florida-bred Nesso’s Lastharrah, Beyond Brilliant, First Peace and Kale’s Angel completed the order of finish.
“Down the stretch is when I saw a hole open,” Ayuso said. “I kind of went outside a little bit and when I saw the chance, I shot to my left and my horse responded beautifully.”
Ayuso was named the rider on Reef Runner only hours before post time. Paco Lopez was originally named at time of entry but could not fullfill the obligation due to a suspension handed down by the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority earlier this week. Fawkes then named Antonio Fresu, but Fresu was unable to take the assignment because the Santa Anita stewards ruled he could be named as a replacement while under routine suspension according to a tweet by Steve Andersen of Daily Racing Form.
Fawkes said Lopez spoke with Ayuso before the race.
““I let Paco [Lopez talk to (Ayuso]. He has won a lot of races on the horse and Paco is a good friend of mine. He obviously had the right instructions,” Fawkes said.
“He is a really neat horse and he did everything perfect. He always does.” Fawkes added. “I was getting a little nervous around the eighth pole, but he really dug in. With a little moisture on the surface today, I was a little worried about that, but he came through for us.”
Reef Runner paid $13 to win.
Reef Runner crossed the finish a nose in front of Motorious (GB) in the $150,000 Green Flash but was placed second following a post-race review by the track stewards.
That was the first start on the West Coast for Reef Runner after trainer David Fawkes had trained him at his base in South Florida for 17 of his previous 18 starts. His last race at Gulfstream was a length victory in the $70,000 Warrior’s Pride overnight handicap going five furlongs on the turf on Aug. 3.
Although the Warrior’s Pride was his first win since taking last year’s $95,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint going five furlongs on the synthetic course at Gulfstream, Reef Runner had two seconds and four thirds in seven races between, mostly in stakes at Gulfstream. He best efforts in that span included a nose loss to Eamonn in the $107,000 Silks Run (Listed) on March 8 and when third, less than a length behind winner Horsepower in the $70,000 Go Cats Go overnight handicap on April 5.
Reef Runner is a son of The Big Beast out of Paradise Bay, by Yes It’s True and has reliable lifetime record of six wins, five seconds and five thirds in 20 career starts with earnings of $502,485.
He is the second foal out of the winning Blame mare Paradise Bay, who has produced three starters, all winners, from five foals including stakes-winner Big Paradise, a full-brother to Reef Runner. Paradise Bay also has an unnamed weanling filly by Omaha Beach and was bred to Life Is Good in 2025.
Reef Runner is the 66th Florida-bred winner of an open, black-type stakes race in 2025 and the 19th Florida-bred winner of a graded stakes this year.
Return to the September 27 issue of Wire to Wire
