Phil D'Amato © Benoit Photo

D’AMATO GUNS FOR THIRD STRAIGHT G2 SEABISCUIT SATURDAY 

You can’t have a Turf Festival at Del Mar without trainer Philip D’Amato and he comes with a trio of horses in the G2 Seabiscuit Saturday. Another large field of 12 horses is set to go in the mile and a sixteenth event, three from the D’Amato barn including the defending champion.

Last year the French-bred Easter was on a roll and came into Del Mar off a victory in the Lure Stakes at Santa Anita. He promptly added the Seabiscuit to his resume. It was his first graded stakes win in the U.S and he would add another one, the G2 San Gabriel, a month later at Santa Anita.

He hasn’t won since. Easter had a nice runner-up finish to Du Jour in the G1 Kilroe Mile in March but then finished sixth in the G1 Shoemaker Mile on Memorial Day; fifth in the G2 Eddie Read at Del Mar in August and another fifth, this time in the G2 City of Hope at Santa Anita last month. The competition doesn’t get any easier in the Seasbiscuit.

“He started off the year in fine fashion,” D’Amato says. “I ran him in a lot of Grade I’s, just trying to figure out where he stands in the pecking order. I think he’s a really nice horse but this is the start of me gradually stretching him out in distance for next year. I’m going to stretch him out to a mile and an eighth and then I’ll keep going and see where he stands in the marathon races next year.”

D’Amato also has entered Masteroffoxhounds and Almendares in the Seabiscuit. Almendares comes into the race off two runner-up finishes in graded stakes. He rallied to just miss by a head to stablemate Conclude in the G2 Del Mar Mile then ran second to Johannes in the G2 City of Hope. Johannes would return to run second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

“He’s in fine form right now,” D’Amato contends. “He likes this Del Mar strip. He’s been able to have a nice couple of grass breezes here. He has Irad Ortiz up so all positives and looking for a big run from him.”

Masteroffoxhounds is back from a summer in the Midwest where he ran third in a stakes race at Horseshoe Indiana, second in a non-winner of four allowance race at Keeneland and sixth last out in the G3 River City at Churchill Downs. 

“He ran a really good race for me at Indiana and a really great race at Keeneland,” D’Amato notes. “He was compromised by the start last time. He broke last, broke in the air. He’s a free-running horse who likes to be up there (on or close to the lead) so we did a little more gate schooling with him down here at Del Mar and I think if he pops out of there and gets in a good position, he’s going to run a good race.”

Despite being well represented, D’Amato does not have the morning line favorite in the Seabiscuit. That goes to Redistricting, a strapping English-bred who came out to Del Mar for the Turf Festival last year and was eased in the G1 Hollywood Derby.

“I don’t know why he did that,” trainer Chad Brown states. “We gave him a bunch of time off afterwards. We didn’t find anything too serious on him.” 

Brown brought Redistricting back last month and he finished second in a three-way blanket finish in the G3 Knickerbocker at the Belmont at the Big A meet.  

“He had a challenging trip,” Brown points out, “but it was a really good effort. He’s rounded back into form nicely and I thought, based on how well he ran despite the trouble he encountered, he’s ready to step up again and give Del Mar another try.”

Flavien Prat gets the mount on Redistricting.

The Seabiscuit is the second race off of a layoff for Seal Team. The son of War Front returned to run fifth in the $80,000 Lure Stakes at Santa Anita last month behind two other Seabiscuit entries, Sumter and Mi Hermano Ramon. 

“He ran good, he was closing,” trainer Richard Mandella notes. “With that under him he ought to be pretty tough.”

Seal Team was 11 months removed from a victory in last year’s G2 Twilight Derby.

 “He had a little problem,” Mandella says. “Nothing serious.”

It’s the 48th running of the Seabiscuit, named after the popular racehorse of the 1930s. It’s the seventh race on the nine-race Saturday card. Probable post is 3:30 p.m. 

Here’s the field from the rail with jockeys and morning odds: Fast Buck (Diego Herrera, 20-1); Sumter (Mike Smith, 8-1); Seal Team (Umberto Rispoli, 7/2); Zio Jo (Tiago Pereira, 15-1); Astronomer (Kazushi Kimura, 15-1); Mi Hermano Ramon (Hector I. Berrios, 12-1); Redistricting (3-1); Easter (Antonio Fresu, 8-1); Masteroffoxhounds (Lanfranco Dettori, 15-1); Almendares (4-1); St Anthony (Javier Castellano, 20-1), and Cabo Spirit (Victor Espinoza, 30-1). 

CARSON’S RUN HEADS WEST IN PURSUIT OF G1 HOLLYWOOD DERBY

The first of two Grade 1 races at Del Mar this weekend will be run Saturday afternoon. The Hollywood Derby will put a cap on the second-to-last day of racing at the seaside oval this year. It’s attracted a large field of 13 sophs, a good mix of invaders and locals going 1 1/8 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.  

Carson’s Run leads the out-of-town contingent, flying in from New York where he won the G3 Jockey Club Derby last out at the Belmont at the Big A meet in October and the G1 Saratoga Derby this past summer. In between those two outings the son of Cupid ran second in the talent-packed G3 Nashville Derby at Kentucky Downs. The decision to bring the colt out west was a logical one.

“It’s (one of) the last Grade Is for 3-year-olds this year,” says Christophe Lorieul, assistant to trainer Christophe Clement. “He’s already a duel Grade I winner but it’s always nice to win Grade I’s.  He’s been a really nice horse for us this summer. He’s been improving since. He looks well physically, in his coat and in his weight. We’re very happy with him.”

Despite a 15-hour trip to get to Del Mar from New York, Carson’s Run appears no worse for wear.

“He shipped on Tuesday with all of the horses from Chad Brown and Tom Morley,” Lorieul points out. “We left about 10 o’clock in the morning. We had to wait at the airport because Fed Ex was scheduled to leave at three p.m. that day.  We landed in Ontario and at that time of the day it’s rush hour traffic leaving LA and it was another three-hour drive. 

“He seems to have bounced back quickly,” Lorieul continues. “He left a little bit of feed the first night but since then he’s back to his tub. He galloped an easy mile and an eighth this (Friday) morning and he looked quite well.”

Distance will not be a concern with Carson’s Run who has won at 1 3/8 miles and 1 5/16 miles. What will be a concern is the competition because it runs deep. Formidable Man won the G2 Del Mar Derby this past summer. He beat the likes of Stay Hot and Atitlan, both of whom will run in the Hollywood Derby. 

“I wanted to make sure we were extra sharp coming into this race,” trainer Michael McCarthy says of Formidable Man. “We thought a little break after the Del Mar Derby would be beneficial for him and it has. He’s really matured into a nice horse this year.”

Atitlan is coming off of an impressive win in the G2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita at the end of October. The son of The Factor has been trading blows with Stay Hot since breaking his maiden at Del Mar in July. He finished third in the $100,000 La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar in August, a race Stay Hot won. 

Atitlan ran third again, this time in the G2 Del Mar Derby right behind Stay Hot, who ran second that day. He finally turned the tables on Stay Hot in the Twilight Derby

“Hector (Berrios) really likes him,” trainer John Shirreffs remarks. “Every race he’s improved. He went from maiden to stake and has done well.”

As for Stay Hot, he has been a model of consistency throughout his career, running first or second in six of his last seven races dating back to last year’s G3 Cecil B. DeMille at Del Mar. The only time he’s run out of the money this year was when trainer Peter Eurton shipped him back to Churchill Downs and he ran last in the G2 American Turf on Kentucky Derby Day. 

“He’s doing very well,” Eurton notes. “He’s been down in San Diego now for about five days. He’s schooled. He’s acting well so we’re hopeful. I’m not in love with the one hole but it’s better than being in the 14.” 

Trainer Phil D’Amato has entered King of Gosford, winner of the $75,000 Let It Ride Stakes at Del Mar on opening day of the fall meet. And trainer Thomas Morley ships in Donegal Momentum from New York where he won his last two races, including the $135,000 Gio Ponti Stakes at the Belmont at the Big A meet.

The 84th running of the G1 Hollywood Derby will go as the ninth and final race on the Saturday card. Probable post time is 4:30 p.m.

Here’s is the field from the rail with the jockeys and the morning line odds: Stay Hot (Antonio Fresu, 8-1); Rothschild (Flavien Prat, 15-1); Chatalas (Kazushi Kimura, 30-1); Carson’s Run (Dylan Davis, 3-1); King of Gosford (Irad Ortiz, Jr., 5-1); Formidable Man (Umberto Rispoli, 9/2); Donegal Momentum (Javier Castellano, 6-1); Atitlan (Hector I. Berrios, 8-1); Tirupati (Vincent Cheminaud, 30-1); British Isles (Diego Herrera, 30-1); Heart Headed (Mike Smith 20-1); Twirling Point (Lanfranco Dettori, 20-1), and Cathal (Juan Hernandez, 15-1).

THIRTEEN JUVENILE FILLIES LINE UP IN G3 JIMMY DURANTE SATURDAY

The Del Mar Turf Festival continues Saturday with three graded stakes races beginning with the G3 Jimmy Durante Stakes. A large field of 13 juvenile fillies will go to the post for the one-mile test on the grass.

The runner-up in last summer’s $100,000 Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar is the lukewarm morning line favorite. Supa Speed took on the boys last time out and finished a distant 12th in the G2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes on Breeders’ Cup Friday. Back now with her own gender, trainer John Sadler is expecting an improved performance.

“If you look at the comment (in the Daily Racing Form) it says ‘Brutal trip’,” Sadler points out about Supa Speed’s line in the T.A.A. “Fourteen horses, a big full field on the Breeders’ Cup undercard. She just didn’t get any kind of racing luck. She had two good races on that turf (at Del Mar) last summer and she came out of it good. She’s going to come back and get a re-do and hopefully it goes well.”

The daughter of Justify will be ridden by Flavien Prat, one of the marquee jockeys who have flown into Del Mar for the lucrative stakes action this weekend. 

Sea Runner ran third in behind Supa Speed in the Juvenile Fillies Turf then returned a month later to break her maiden at Santa Anita. She’s a daughter of Gun Runner.

Casalu also ran in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. She finished fourth that day after setting the pace to the top of the lane. The filly is trainer Bob Baffert’s only entry in the Turf Festival Stakes races because he generally doesn’t have turf runners in his barn. Casalu started on the dirt, breaking her maiden on the main track at Del Mar in July. But when she finished third in the G3 Sorrento a month later, Baffert decided to try her on turf in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. 

She has since run second to a very talented filly, Thought Process, in the G3 Surfer Girl on the lawn at Santa Anita, but then ran last of four when she returned to the dirt in the $85,000 Anoakia Stakes.

Leonard Powell brings his filly Resolve to the dance. She broke her maiden last out in a one-mile turf race at Del Mar that also contained Jimmy Durante runners Lee’s Baby Girl, Vandy Dandy and Slick.

“She’s coming into the race very nice,” Powell says of his Midnight Lute filly. “She won last time on the same track at Del Mar. She’s improved from that race and we’re expecting a good trip from her from the one hole.”

Acquitted also broke her maiden last out at the end of September at Santa Anita. She’s caught on the outside of the big field but is capable of tucking in and rating off the pace like she did in her maiden score. 

The 34th running of G3 Jimmy Durante Stakes, formerly known as the Miesque Stakes, is the fifth race on the nine-race card. Zona Verde won the race last year for trainer Phil D’Amato. It’s named after one of the most popular entertainers of the 20th century. Probable post is 2:30 p.m.

Here’s the field from the rail with jockeys and morning odds: Resolve (Hector I. Berrios, 6-1); Slick (Dylan Davis, 15-1); Lee’s Baby Girl (Edwin Maldonado, 8-1); Dandy Vandy (Irad Ortiz, Jr., 12-1); Schilflied (Tiago Pereira, 15-1); Casalu (Kazushi Kimura, 12-1); Origami (Antonio Fresu, 12-1);  Supa Speed (7/2); Sea Runner (Umberto Rispoli, 9/2); Ce La Vi Charlie (Javier Castellano, 20-1); Will Then (Vincent Cheminaud, 20-1); Tigerish (Lanfranco Dettori, 15-1), and Acquitted (Juan Hernandez, 8-1).

HANDICAPPING SEMINARS ON TAP SATURDAY, SUNDAY AT DEL MAR

Del Mar will once again present free handicapping seminars for its fans for the upcoming Saturday and Sunday race cards. They’ll be the final session of the meeting.

The seminars are held on the patio of the Hacienda Room adjacent to the large fountain in the Plaza de Mexico. They begin at 11:30 a.m. and run for approximately 30 minutes ahead of the first post at 12:30 p.m.

Saturday’s seminar, which is hosted by Frank Scatoni, will feature horseplayer Carlos Ortega. The Sunday session, led by Dan Smith, will have Daily Racing Form writer, columnist and handicapper Steve Andersen.  

COOLING OUT:  Notable works this week, all on dirt: Wednesday - Acquitted (3f, :36.20); Seal Team (3f, :37.40); Sumter (3f, :37.00); Thursday – Kahuna Magic (4f, :47.40)); Friday – Pursuit of Freedom (4f, :45.80).