Eda © Benoit Photo

Baoma Corp’s Eda, the 1-5 favorite in a field of five juvenile fillies, lay up close early, then just zoomed away late to tally by four and a quarter lengths Saturday at Del Mar in the $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes.

The daughter of Munnings, a $550,000 2-year-old in-training purchase in Florida in March, registered her second straight stakes tally and picked up a winner’s share of $60,000 to push her total earnings to $190,000 in the fifth start of her career. She came into the race off a smart tally in the Anoakia Stakes at Santa Anita on October 24.

Del Mar’s leading rider, Flavien Prat, was at the controls with Eda and trainer Bob Baffert met the pair in the winner’s circle. This was Baffert’s third victory in the Arnaz and his record 145th stakes score overall at the seaside track.

Finishing second in the six and one-half furlong test was ERJ Racing, Reddam Racing or Fielding’s Tonito’s, while Magnier, Tabor or Smith’s Under the Stars pulled in third. Final time for the winner was 1:15.53.

Eda paid $2.40, $2.20 and $2.10 across the board, while Tonito’s returned $5.00 and $3.80 and Under the Stars paid $2.40 to show.

Racing resumes at Del Mar Sunday with a nine-race card starting at 12:30 p.m.

FLAVIEN PRAT (Eda, winner) – “She broke well and had good speed. When we turned for home and a horse came up outside us, I shook her up. Then she responded with a good kick.”

BOB BAFFERT (Eda, winner) “Actually, (Flavien) Prat thought this was the best race she has run. I really thought she relaxed well. I thought my other horse (Under the Stars) was going to be farther back but she broke well and maybe I had her a little too sharp. It was kind of a last minute decision to run Eda here because we also plan to run her back in the Starlet but I loved the way she was able to relax and then kick away clear. Prat doesn’t say much, but he was really impressed with her.”

FRACTIONS:  :22.22  :45.38  1:09.48  1:15.53

The stakes win was the third of the meet for rider Prat, but his first in the Desi Arnaz. He now has 75 stakes wins at Del Mar, 10th most in track history.

The stakes win was the second of the meet for trainer Baffert, but his third in the Desi Arnaz. He now has 145 stakes wins at Del Mar, far and away the track’s leader.

The winning owner is Baoma Corp, who is Charles Chu of N. Andover, MA.