dunn preview – erc honor code

California (CA)
Saturday, April 10, 2021 — 2:40 PM EST | Race ID: 2527354
ERC Honor Code
Stakes – Purse $100,000
Restricted to 4+ Year Olds
8 furlongs on Dirt

Today we are at Santa Anita Park Race Track in sunny Arcadia California for the ERC Honor Code, an 8 furlong race on the dirt featuring perhaps the finest field ever in an ERC event.  They’re racing for the winner’s share of the $100,000 purse, with the victorious owner/trainer also collecting club stakes bonus points which will determine a club champion at year end. This is a closely matched group,  so jockey tactics and racing luck will probably play important roles in determining the winner.

Here is a closer look at the field:

#8
hallow eve eve                                    
quidivididowns barn                           
s gutierrez                    6/1

Out of the quidivididowns barn (newfy) is this six year old son of MISSION IMPAZZIBLE out of the Sim Mare THE NEXT MOVE. He comes in off back to back fourth place finishes in his only other starts in 2021 after finishing out last year with four straight wins. He takes a big drop in distance here with all but two of his last ten starts having come at ten furlongs or greater. Ownership hopes that this change will give our eldest entry more of a chance against this group of younger competitors.

#7
mountain bluebird                              
larrcamp20 barn                      
c gerhke                       9/1

Out of the larrcamp20 barn is this four year old son of IMAGINING out of the Sim Mare LAGO LE.  He has finished in the money in ten of his eighteen career starts with many of those coming at Stakes races. He had a win last time out at an Allowance race in Maryland where he ran career best 109 speed over a seven and a half furlong track. He comes in on just four weeks rest but looks fresh and with speed like that might be worth a look at the betting window.  

#6
black karnamel                                                
amir1680 barn                         
d crack                         4/1

Out of the amir1680 barn is this six year old scratch bred son of SEPOY ( x NUREYEV x DEPUTY MINISTER). He comes in off a tenth place finish last time out when he ran 103 speed at the ten furlong “Dirty Mat Dirt Route”. He makes his fourth ERC appearance here today and hopes the fourth time is the charm after finishing fourth at the “Bernardini” in 2019 and fourth and seventh at the 2018 “ERC Belmont” and  “ERC Kentucky Derby”. He hopes a drop in distance will find him a spot on the board against this impressive field of eight.

#5
amsterdam classic                              
jbcri2 barn                              
h desitter                      7/2

Out of the jbcri2 barn is this five year old scratch bred son of FUSAICHI PEGASUS ( x CAPOTE x VICE REGENT).  He has finished in the money in fourteen of his twenty-one career starts including nine wins with six coming at this same distance. The co-favorite comes in well rested and will look to run off the pace in the early going before making a big kick down the home stretch. Career best 118 speed might be hard to beat!

#4
runway three              
rac7 barn                                
s ausilo                        5/1

Out of the rac7 barn (summerset) is this four year old son of AIR FORCE BLUE out of the Sim Mare PROTECTION PLAN. He has eight wins in his career in just fourteen starts and has had success on dirt and turf tracks. He made his first Stakes start last time out at the “Fromwayback Dirt Sprint” and ran impressive 116 speed as the runner-up. He has never competed at a mile or greater but will handle the distance well and should be one to watch.

#3
dultharbarr                           
eriedowns barn                       
m dorsey                     7/2

Out of the eriedowns barn (dunn) is this five year old scratch bred son of LAWMAN ( x TRIPPI x EXCEED AND EXCEL). He has finished in the money in nineteen of his twenty-one career starts including an impressive twelve wins and has amassed more than $600,000 in earnings. He makes his first start on the dirt and ownership hopes the change in surface won’t affect him too much and that he will be a factor and that they can add to their early season success in the ERC.

#2
smart frosty                             
harrylanexp6 barn                               
o ridenour                    9/1

Out of the harrylanexp6 barn is this four year old son of FROSTED out of the Sim Mare SMART ZAPPER. He makes his fourth straight Stakes start here today with the others resulting in a ninth and two fifth place finishes. He showed decent speed in those but seemed to fade down the stretch against the large fourteen horse fields. He will have more room here today and might want to conserve some energy early on so that he has some gas left in the tank as they head for home.

#1
candy acorn                            
dontbetonme barn                   
m billig                        8/1

Out of the dontbetonme barn is this four year old son of DANZING CANDY out of the Sim Mare ACORN. Last time out he ran 114 speed in an impressive win at an Allowance race in a seven furlong race in Washington. He makes his first Stakes start here today and just his second start at a mile or more but both may be overdue and he should be able to challenge out of the one hole.