SANTA ANITA ONCE AGAIN HONORS THE MEMORY OF LOGAN, ‘FOOTMAN’ EXTRAORDINAIRE;$100,000 DAYTONA STAKES FOR 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP DOWN HILLSIDE TURF ALSO ON DOCKET

ARCADIA, Calif. (Dec. 22, 2013)–Santa Anita Park will once again honor the memory of its iconic Shoeshine Attendant, Eddie Logan, with the $75,000 Eddie Logan Stakes for 2-year-olds at one mile on turf this Saturday. The Logan attracted a field of eight; including trainer Eoin Harty’s Royal Banker, a fast finishing third in the Grade III Generous Stakes Nov. 30, trainer Simon Callaghan’s Craftsman, who will make his U.S. debut Saturday following a Group III stakes win in Ireland, and trainer Tom Proctor’s Enterprising, who was a smart maiden special weight winner at a mile on turf Nov. 16 at Betfair Hollywood Park.

Logan, who operated his shoeshine stand near the Santa Anita Racing Office from Dec. 25, 1934 until his passing at age 98 in January, 2009, was a self-described “footman,” who endeared himself to thousands of fans and horsemen spanning eight decades at The Great Race Place.

English-bred Royal Banker made his U.S. debut in the Generous, breaking slowly from the rail and rallying from last to be beaten two lengths at odds of 6-1. He has had two works over the Hollywood Park maintrack since and will again be ridden by Corey Nakatani. Royal Banker is owned by Wounded Warrior Stables.

Craftsman is a highly regarded Irish-bred who broke his maiden at odds of 2-5 in a 13-horse field going seven furlongs on turf in Ireland three starts back. Trained by Aiden O’Brien in Ireland, he was a one-length winner of a Group III stakes at Leopardstown, Ireland on Oct. 26 and figures to be forwardly placed Saturday under Victor Espinoza.

Craftsman has two wins, a second and a third from four starts and is owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.

Glen Hill Farm’s homebred Enterprising was an impressive maiden special weight winner in his second start and will again be handled by Gary Stevens. A Florida-bred by Elusive Quality, Enterprising has worked five times over Hollywood Park’s maintrack since his maiden score and appears primed for a top effort.

The Mark Glatt-trained My Secret Affair comes off a facile 2 ¼ length maiden special weight win in his third career start going six furlongs on the Hollywood Park turf Nov. 24 and could be the speed of the race. He’s owned by Donkey Island Racing LLC or Glatt or Xitco and will be ridden for the first time by Mike Smith.

The complete field for the Eddie Logan Stakes, to be run as the fourth race on a nine-race card Saturday, with jockeys, in post position order, all horses assigned 118 pounds: Lucky Views, Joe Talamo; Enterprising, Gary Stevens; Craftsman, Victor Espinoza; Flagman, Patrick Valenzuela; Morally Bankrupt, Brice Blanc; Noble Metal, Rafael Bejarano; My Secret Affair, Mike Smith, and Royal Banker, Corey Nakatani.

CHIPS ALL IN, UNBRIDLED’S NOTE PROMINENT AMONG FIELD OF EIGHT IN SATURDAY’S GRADE III, $100,000 DAYTONA STAKES FOR 3-YEAR-OLDS AND UP AT 6 ½ FURLONGS DOWN HILLSIDE TURF

Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 Daytona Stakes has attracted a competitive field of eight 3-year-olds and up, including hillside turf course specialists Chips All In and Unbridled’s Note.

On the heels of a game nose win in the Grade III Eddie D. Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs down the hill Sept. 27, Chips All In was supplemented at a cost of $120,000 to the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in his subsequent start, running a disappointing ninth, beaten 3 ¾ lengths by champion Mizdirection.

In his most recent try, Chips All In was part of a three-way dead heat for second in the six furlong turf Hollywood Turf Express under Aaron Gryder on Dec. 8. Trained by Jeff Mullins, 4-year-old Chips All In has two wins and a second from four hillside tries. He’s owned by Everest, O’Brien, Valdez and partners.

Third, beaten a half length as the 5-2 favorite in the Eddie D. Stakes Sept. 27, the Steve Asmussen-trained Unbridled’s Note ran a huge fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, beaten 1 ¾ lengths by Mizdirection. The 4-year-old colt by Unbridled’s Song then matched strides with Chips All, dead heating for second as the even money favorite in the Hollywood Turf Express Dec. 8.

Ridden by Corey Nakatani in his last nine starts, Unbridled’s Note has two wins, a second and a third from five tries down the hill. Owned by Mike McCarty, Unbridled’s Note has amassed $576,683 in career earnings from an overall mark of 15-4-3-4.

Jerry Hollendorfer, who is enjoying the biggest year of his Hall of Fame career, will send out California-bred Ain’t No Other, who will break from the outside with Rafael Bejarano. A 5-year-old Old Topper gelding bred by his owner, Tommy Town Thoroughbreds LLC, Ain’t No Other won the statebred Sensational Star Stakes down the hillside on Feb. 24, and was a close second as the 5-2 favorite in the 6 ½ furlong turf California Flag Stakes at Santa Anita Oct. 19.

Well beaten at 7-5 in the Oakland Stakes going six furlongs on synthetic Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields Nov. 16, Ain’t No Other faces a tall order in the Grade III Daytona, but his career record of 7-1-2-1 down the hill offers encouragement, as does the outside post and the presence of Rafael Bejarano.

Grade III stakes winning Handsome Mike also rates an upset chance for owner Reddam Racing LLC and trainer Doug O’Neill. Third in the Grade III Vernon O. Underwood at Hollywood Park Nov. 28, Handsome Mike has a win from two starts down the hill.

Trainer Mike Machowsky’s El Commodore has been showing good speed at middle distances primarily on turf, and could be dangerous from the rail with Gary Stevens engaged to ride. A 6-year-old gelding by El Prado, El Commodore is owned by Arbitrage Stables or Gallegos or Kagele Brothers, Inc. He’s been a consistent check-getter this year, with a win, three seconds and a third from 10 starts. Saturday’s Daytona will be El Commodore’s first try down the hill.

The complete field for the Daytona Stakes, to be run as Saturday’s eighth race, with jockeys and weights in post position order: El Commodore, Gary Stevens, 119; Chips All In, Aaron Gryder, 124; Next Speaker, Joe Talamo, 117; Unbridled’s Note, Corey Nakatani, 119; Handsome Mike, Mario Gutierrez, 121; Gallant Son, Isaias Enriquez, 119; Truest Legend, Brice Blanc, 119, and Ain’t No Other, Rafael Bejarano, 119.

First post time on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. For additional information, visit santaanita.com.