By Jim Charvat

Phil D'Amato © Benoit Photo

PHIL D’AMATO EYES A FIFTH STRAIGHT TRAINERS TITLE AT DEL MAR

Trainer Phil D’Amato has won the last four training titles at Del Mar, beginning with the Fall Meet in 2021. He followed up with another title run in the summer of 2022, though he had to share the crown with Bob Baffert. D’Amato then took the trainers race in the fall of 2022 and the just-concluded summer meet.

D’Amato’s success is not limited to Del Mar. He won both training titles at Santa Anita this winter and spring before losing to Mark Glatt by one race in the autumn trainers race.

Judging by the show of force D’Amato brought down with him to Del Mar, it would be no surprise if he extends his winning streak this fall.

“What’s not to like about Del Mar,” D’Amato says. “It’s a quasi-working vacation and everyone enjoys it including the horses.”

D’Amato brought 60 horses with him including last year’s G2 Seabiscuit winner, in town to defend his crown.

“Hong Kong Harry in the Seabiscuit,” D’Amato says. “I have a new horse, Easter, who won a stakes race at Santa Anita for Graham Motion. They left the horse with me and he’ll also go in the Seabiscuit. And possibly Balnikhov, too.

Balnikhov was the 2022 Oceanside Stakes winner and runner-up to stablemate Gold Phoenix in last summer’s G2 Eddie Read.

As for his Breeders’ Cup horses, D’Amato says they’re getting some well deserved time off.

“I have Desert Dawn down here but she’s just on a working vacation. There’s no race for her here unless I want to try her on grass. Most of them I have given breaks, so it’s a lot of new recruits down here.”

D’Amato had six horses in the Breeders’ Cup: Tony Ann, Motorious and Beer Can Man in the Turf Sprint; Gold Phoenix in the Turf and Masteroffoxhounds in the Mile. Desert Dawn ran in the Distaff.

Despite all the success and accolades, Phil D’Amato remains well centered with an eye on improving.

“I think with any good horseman we’re learning every day,” D’Amato says. “Just knowing your horse, knowing what they like to do. It’s always an evolving process. And this game evolves as well so you have to be in touch and in tune with the racing nuances, the ebbs and flows of horseracing, as well as training horses. But I think with hard work and determination, good horses and really good help, all of those things lead you in the right direction.” 

JOE BRAVO PULLS-UP STAKES AND MOVES BACK HOME TO FLORIDA

There will be a noticeable absence in the Del Mar Jockey’s room this fall. Joe Bravo has returned home. After 35 years of building a solid riding career, the veteran jockey has moved back to Florida where it all started.

“I loved racing in California,” Bravo says. “I was really grateful to be around some good people but I just got a little homesick and wanted to come back and be closer to my family.”

Bravo turned 52 in September. He began his riding career at Calder Race Course in Miami Gardens back in 1988, but a year later he had moved his tack north to Philadelphia Park, Garden State Park, the Meadowlands and even Atlantic City. For the next 30-years he plied his craft on the East Coast, returning to Gulfstream Park in the winter but then back up north by the spring.

He became known as Jersey Joe for all of the success he enjoyed in the Garden State, particularly at Monmouth Park where he won 13 riding titles. He had nine more at the Meadowlands. In 2019, Bravo moved his tack west and began riding full time in Southern California.

“I’ve been comfortable out there in California,” Bravo says. “It’s more of a personal thing. I’ve been away from family and friends I grew up with my whole life and that was behind the decision as a whole.”

He takes with him fond memories of his two years riding in California, two of which are highlights of his career; winning his first Breeders’ Cup race aboard Blue Prize in 2019 and being named recipient of the George Woolf Award. 

“I was lucky enough to get the Mike Venezia award in New York,” Bravo says. “Then my first year out in California to cap that off (with the George Woolf) was really a nice welcome.

“There have been a lot (of good memories),” Bravo continues. “A couple of Grade I’s. Mr. George Papaprodromou and I could make some highlight reels.”

Bravo won a total of six graded stakes on Papaprodromou’s American Theorem, Cabo Spirit, and Spirit of Makena.

“It’s always fun dealing with good horses,” Bravo says, “and it just seems like everyone out there loves horse racing. I wish they had a little bit more of it but the people involved with it really do love their horses.“          

Bravo owns a home in Ft. Lauderdale and plans to ride at Gulfstream Park this winter.

“It’s more of who am I going to get a hamburger and coffee with more than the racing of it all,” Bravo explains. “I just hope everyone understands it’s more of a personal than a business decision. I might regret it. I might be thankful.”

CHISMOSA RETURNS, READY TO ROLL IN SUNDAY’S BETTY GRABLE

The stakes action on this first weekend of the Bing Crosby meet wraps up Sunday afternoon with the 28^th running of the $100,000 Betty Grable Stakes, formerly known as the Cat’s Cradle. It’s the first Cal-bred stakes of the meet. Eight fillies and mares will go 7-furlongs on the main track.

It features the return to Del Mar of Chismosa, winner of the 2022 Generous Portion and runner up in last summer’s Fleet Treat Stakes. The 3-year-old daughter of Clubhouse Ride has won three races and finished second twice in seven starts on the Del Mar main track.

“I feel good, I feel we have a good chance with that filly,” trainer Rafael DeLeon says. He plans to bring Chismosa down to Del Mar the morning of the race.

“The last time I did the same thing,” DeLeon says. “She traveled very well and was less nervous in the paddock.”

DeLeon says she’s fully recovered from her trip back east to Charles Town where she ran a disappointing 10th and last in the G3 Charles Town Oaks.

“When she came back she was a little tired,” DeLeon explains. “I think she didn’t drink enough water. She looked dry inside, less electrolytes.”

But DeLeon was pleased with her race last time out at Santa Anita. Despite bobbling at the start she finished third in the $100,000 California Distaff down the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.

“She clipped heels and cut both of her front ankles,” DeLeon says. “But she’s all right, one-hundred percent now.” 

Chancery Way is the morning line favorite in the Betty Grable off of her win in the $75,000 Governor’s Cup at Sacramento two races back. The 4-year old daughter of Mr. Big is out of the barn of Northern California trainer Jamey Thomas. She followed the Sacramento victory with a third-place finish in the $150,000 Solana Beach at Del Mar this past summer, setting the pace into the stretch before giving way to Eddie’s New Dream and Rose Maddox. 

Her principle competition is expected to come from a pair of horses out of the Phil D’Amato barn. Carmen Miranda ran second to Benedict Canyon last out in a second-level allowance race at Santa Anita. She beat Wet My Beak, who came back and upset the $150,000 Senator Ken Maddy at Santa Anita at 23-1 on Breeders’ Cup Friday.

Carmen Miranda has run her previous five races on the turf but the last time she ran on the dirt she won a Cal-bred entry level allowance at Los Alamitos in December. 

“She’s a very consistent filly,” D’Amato says. “She’s always trained well on the dirt and against Cal-breds it’s a good fit.”

Rose Dawson is D’Amato’s other entry. She ran fourth in the California Distaff, a half a length behind Chismosa.

“It’s a good distance for Rose Dawson,” D’Amato says. “I think she’s better on the dirt than the grass.”

The Betty Grable is the eighth race on the nine race Sunday card. It’s named after the popular actress of the 1940’s. Post time for the stakes race is 4:00 p.m.

Here’s the field from the rail with the jockeys and morning line odds. Chancery Way (Antonio Fresu, 5-2); Bella D (Giovanni Franco, 15-1); Glorious Spring (Flavien Prat, 8-1); Power Surge (Tiago Pereira, 8-1); Smoothlikebuttah (Umberto Rispoli, 8-1); Chismosa (Edgar Payeras, 5-1); Carmen Miranda (Ramon Vasquez, 4-1) and Rose Dawson (Juan Hernandez, 3-1).

COOLING OUT:  Nothing like starting out the meet with a boxcar winner. Shezmisbehaving scored at 35-1 in the first race on Opening Day Friday, paying $76.20 to win. It was jockey Tyler Baze’s first victory at Del Mar since July of 2022…Looks like Bob Baffert has another live one. Coach Prime stormed past the competition to break his maiden in race #4 Friday. The son of Quality Road was a yearling purchase by Amr Zedan for $1.7 million at the Keeneland September Sales last year…Dandy Man Shines came out of his impressive victory in Friday’s feature, the $75,000 Let It Ride Stakes, in good order and returned to trainer Jeff Mullin’s barn at Santa Anita last night…It was a good start in defense of his Fall Meet Jockeys title for Flavien Prat. He scored a riding triple on Friday.

Del Mar Statistics

 Jockey Standings
(Current through November 10, 2023 Inclusive) 

Trainer Standings
(Current through November 10, 2023 Inclusive) 

Winning Favorites Report
(Current through November 10, 2023 Inclusive) 

Winning favorites -- 5 out of 8 -- 62.50%
Winning favorites on dirt -- 3 out of 4 -- 75.00%
Winning favorites on turf -- 2 out of 4 -- 50.00%
Winning odds-on favorites -- 2 out of 2 -- 100.00%
In-the-Money favorites -- 6 out of 8 -- 75.00%
In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 2 out of 2 -- 100.00%