Fresh off of his first Grade I win, Michael House's hard-knocking 6-year-old Hunt (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) returns to the oval where he swept the major turf races for older horses last summer as he tries to defend his title in Sunday's GII Eddie Read S.
Capturing both that event and the GII Del Mar H. at five, the gray was off the board in his next two starts before rebounding, once again over this course, to take the GII Seabiscuit H. Nov. 26. In his only start since then, Hunt ran down multiple Grade I winner Heart to Heart (English Channel) to upset the GI Shoemaker Mile May 28 at Santa Anita.
Two necks behind him that day was the re-opposing Next Shares (Archarcharch). That third-place effort was a career-high for the 5-year-old gelding as the former Bill Mott trainee has turned a corner for Richard Baltas despite being winless in five starts.
Similarly to Hunt, Sharp Samurai (First Samurai) swept the turf graded stakes for 3-year-olds at Del Mar last summer, taking the GIII La Jolla H. and GII Del Mar Derby. Annexing the GII Twilight Derby Oct. 28 at Santa Anita, he suffered a rare loss when fourth in the GI Hollywood Derby here Nov. 25, but rebounded with an allowance tally in his 4-year-old bow June 17 in Arcadia.
Despite being a 10-time winner, Itsinthepost (Fr) (American Post {GB}) is winless in nine starts at California's seaside track. Second to Hunt in the Del Mar H., the bay most recently captured Santa Anita's GII Charlie Whittingham S. May 26.
Qatar Racing's True Valour (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) brings some international flavor. Trained by John Murtagh, the 4-year-old ships in for his North American debut off a score in the G3 Ballycorus S. June 14 at Leopardstown.
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