Eda Takes Home Anoakia For Munnings

Eda (2f Munnings x Show Me, Lemon Drop Kid) bounced back from an uncharacteristic showing last out when the filly won the Anoakia Stakes to become the third juvenile stakes winner of the year for Munnings.

Going six furlongs on the dirt at Santa Anita, Eda put pressure on the pacesetter early on and saw that one wilt as she made a serious challenge around the turn. By the time they hit the quarter pole, Eda was in command and opened up nearly five lengths on the field.

Jockey Flavien Prat kept her focused in the final furlong as she motored home to a 2 ¼ length victory with the third placed horse 9 ½ lengths back at the line. The stakes victory is the second bit of blacktype for Eda, who was also second in the Grade II Sorrento Stakes in August at Del Mar.

“As soon as we hit the turn, she just on her own grabbed the bridle and made a nice move, and that was a winning move,” Prat said. “She’s pretty quick, she has a lot of speed, so I don’t know how far she wants to go but six was a good distance today.”

A $240,000 yearling-turned-$550,000 2-year-old, Eda was purchased by Donato Lanni and is raced by Baoma Corporation, who has her in training with Bob Baffert.

Massive Munnings supporter Nathan McCauley bred the filly out of Show Me, who returned to Munnings this year.

Show Me is a half-sister to Grade III winner Aegean and stakes winner Light Bringer and out of a daughter of stakes winning Sweeping. A stakes producer herself, Sweeper is also a half-sister to the dams of Grade II winner No Advantage and Grade III winner Sky Terrace among others.

Munnings is having a career best year as a sire with his juveniles showing the best is yet to come. His seven juvenile stakes performers in 2021 is tied with studmate Caravaggio at the top of the leader board.

Munnings’ 2019 crop is led by Grade I winner and early Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile favorite Jack Christopher.