Conclude © Benoit Photo

Conclude and jockey Hector I. Berrios combined to win the $300,000 Grade II Del Mar Mile Saturday in a mild $12.20 upset on the day of the FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic. 

Conclude, successful by a head over Almendares(GB), supplied trainer Phil D’Amato with a sweep of the three stakes run over the infield grass course Saturday. Previously, he saddled Gold Phoenix to win the Del Mar Handicap and Motorious in the Green Flash NHandicap.

Conclude, a four-year-old son of Collected owned by Madaket Stables, and Little Red Feather Racing, ran the once-around distance in 1:34.05.

It was the fifth victory in nine starts for Conclude who earned first money of $180,000 to increase his bankroll to $546,100. The colt won the Del Mar Derby last summer. 

HECTOR I. BERRIOS (Conclude, winner) – “The race was perfect. For me I tried to go to the lead very comfortably. When I took the lead, I asked him to move and he responded. When you go to the lead, and you put the pressure on too late all the horses get a little tight (when approaching the finish line). Today was a good day.”

PHIL D’AMATO (Conclude, winner) – “I left it up to Hector (Berrios, going to the front). The horse likes to be up there close. He broke bad last time. We did a little gate schooling with him and he broke like a rocket today and Hector nursed him along beautifully and got the job done.”

FRACTIONS:  :23.45  :47.14  1:10.72  1:22.33  1:34.05

The stakes win was the fifth of the meet for rider Berrios, but his first in the Del Mar Mile. He now has 16 stakes wins at Del Mar. 

The stakes win was the sixth of the meet for trainer D’Amato, but his fourth in the Del Mar Mile. He won all three graded grass stakes on the Saturday Del Mar card. He now has 60 stakes wins at Del Mar. 

The winner is owned by a partnership headed by Madaket Stables (Sol Kumin of New York City) and Little Red Feather Racing (Billy Koch of Woodland Hills, CA).