Eddie Read J

AMERICAN

GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

Saturday's $300,000 Eddie Read H. (G1) attracted a solid field of seven turf

horses, including Grade 1 victors THE USUAL Q. T. (Unusual Heat), VICTOR'S CRY

(Street Cry [Ire]) and ACCLAMATION (Unusual Heat), for nine furlongs on the

Jimmy Durante Turf Course. We'll tab the late-running LOUP BRETON (Ire) (Anabaa)

for the win.

Trained by three-time Eddie Read winner Julio Canani, Loup Breton relishes

firm turf and a solid pace. He wasn't able to make up enough ground behind

loose-on-the-lead Acclamation in the Charles Whittingham Memorial (G1) last

time, but he still offered a solid run for fourth, passing multiple horses in

the stretch of the paceless race and netting a career-best 103 BRIS Speed

rating. Canani has tightened the screws since then, sending the six-year-old out

for a five-furlong bullet in :58 3/5 last Sunday at Hollywood, and Del Mar's

turf should play much more favorably toward closers than Hollywood. A Group 2

winner in France, Loup Breton captured his U.S. bow last November and showed his

class with a victory in the San Marcos S. (G2) and a neck second in the San Gabriel

H. (G2) over the winter. We'll look for him to rally past his rivals in the

stretch under top jockey Rafael Bejarano.

Victor's Cry garnered an allowance/optional claiming test and recorded a

fast-finishing fourth in the Del Mar Mile H. (G2) last year over the course, and

the five-year-old ridgling has really come on this season for trainer Eoin

Harty, finishing second in the San Simeon H. (G3) prior to his 21-1 upset in the

Shoemaker Mile (G1) last out. The Virginia-bred earned superb BRIS numbers for

those two efforts and we'll look for him to carry his form forward with a strong

showing in this spot. The late runner has never been the distance, but he has

plenty of pedigree for nine furlongs and is eligible to make a serious impact in

the stretch run.

The Usual Q. T. is the likely favorite. A two-time winner over

California-breds turf rivals at Del Mar last year, the Jim Cassidy-trained

gelding reeled off six straight victories, including the Hollywood Derby (G1)

and Oak Tree Derby (G2), before having his streak snapped over the Pro-Ride in

the Sunshine Millions Classic. He recorded a respectable fourth in the Dubai

Duty Free (UAE-G1) in late March and returned from a freshening with a nice

turf allowance tally at Hollywood on June 27. The four-year-old does his best running

close to the pace and while we're inclined to back a couple of closers, we

wouldn't be shocked to see him get first jump on the late runners and keep his

momentum rolling all the way to the wire.

HYADES (Aldebaran) closed for a piece in both the American H. (G2) and

Whittingham in his last two outings, and looms as a possible exotics player in

this spot for Ben Cecil. The four-old colt has never finished off the board in

three attempts at the distance and owns commendable BRIS Speed and Pace ratings.

We'll use him on the bottom of the gimmicks.

Acclamation, who is cross-entered to a California-bred stakes race on Sunday,

didn't fire following a rough start in the United Nations (G1) last time and

will look to turn things around in front-running fashion at Del Mar. However,

there were no wire-to-wire wins in four races at the distance in 2009 and the

four-year-old could catch some pace pressure from ENRICHED (High Brite). We'll

play against him.

CROWDED HOUSE (GB) (Rainbow Quest) stamped himself as a colt to watch with

his victory in the 2008 Racing Post Trophy S. (Eng-G1), but he's winless in

eight starts since then. The Brian Meehan trainee did record a couple of

runner-up finishes in Dubai stakes earlier this season, but we'll give him at

least one race in the United States before backing. Enriched exits a 9

1/4-length allowance romp at Hollywood, but we can't recommend the speedy

gelding on the class hike.