By Steve Andersen

ARCADIA, Calif.-The 2-year-old Eddington colt Tap the Wire will be worth following in California-bred stakes at Del Mar this summer.

On Saturday at Santa Anita, Eddington’s son Tap the Wire won his debut in a maiden race for statebreds at 4 1/2 furlongs. Owned by breeders John and Allegra Ernst, Tap the Wire was always near the front and drew away to win by 3 3/4 lengths in a 21-1 upset.

“We’ve liked him from the beginning,” trainer Dan Dunham said. “He promised us a lot in the morning.”

Dunham saw promise in March when Tap the Wire worked well at short distances at Del Mar, the first workouts of his career.

With no stakes for 2-year-olds at the current Santa Anita meeting, or at the Los Alamitos summer meeting, Tap the Wire may not race again until the $100,000 Graduation Stakes for Cal-breds at Del Mar on Aug. 4. Such a schedule is fine with Dunham.

“With the babies, it takes a little time to get them there,” he said. “A little time off won’t hurt them.”