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Kitten hits a Home Run in Eddie D.

Home Run Kitten (outside) just got the best of Ambitious Brew in the Eddie D. (Benoit Photos)

Tarabilla Farms Inc.'s Home Run Kitten ran down 2-1 favorite Ambitious Brew in the shadow of the wire to take Friday's opening day feature at Santa Anita Park -- the Grade 3, $101,500 Eddie D. Stakes -- by a nose under jockey Joe Talamo. The three-year-old chestnut was sent off the 10-1 sixth choice to pay $23.40 for his first graded victory.

Home Run Kitten bided his time in last on the downhill turf as Global Power, Artest and Mr. Sexy battled it out through a swift opening half-mile in :21 2/5 and :43 2/5. The dirt crossover derailed those three but Ambitious Brew was more than willing to take over after coming four wide into the stretch.

Meanwhile, Home Run Kitten was still last crossing over the dirt but kicked into gear while widest of all and barreled down the center of the track to just get the best of Ambitious Brew on the wire. The David Hofmans trainee finished about 6 1/2 furlongs on the firm downhill course in 1:11 4/5.

Ambitious Brew had 1 1/2 lengths to spare on third-placer Lil Bit O'Fun, who in turn was three parts of a length up on Pure Tactics. It was just a neck back to Artest, who was followed under the wire by Eddie's First, Mr. Sexy, Snowday, Unbridled's Note, Gallant Son and Global Power. No Silent was unable to draw in from the also-eligible list.

Home Run Kitten finished third in his career debut at Hollywood Park in December as a juvenile before breaking his maiden over the Eddie D. course and distance on January 11 in his sophomore bow. His connections wanted to test their Triple Crown nominee on the dirt and entered him next for the Robert B. Lewis, where he finished fifth of eight.

Home Run Kitten was returned to the turf and wouldn't finish out of the money in his next four starts -- including a third in the Pasadena, a neck second in the La Puente and a win in the Singletary. That streak was broken last out when the son of Kitten's Joy tried the Del Mar Derby and faded to fifth, but he returned to his winning ways in this spot.

Now boasting a 4-1-2 mark from nine career starts, Home Run Kitten has banked $217,800 lifetime earnings.

Bred in Kentucky by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, the colt is the first registered stakes winner out of the Grand Slam mare Grand Slam Girl. Home Run Kitten's third dam is the unraced Forty Niner mare Western League, who produced dual Grade 2 victress My Boston Gal, and his fourth dam is Grade 3 heroine Cinegita. That mare would go on to foal the dam of champion Flanders, from whom is descended champion millionaire Surfside.

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