Barn Tour: On a roll, D’Amato updates on 10 stakes winners
Phil D’Amato had his best year ever last year, by far.
His earnings total just shy of $12 million was better by half than his earlier high-water mark of $7.4 million. He had 23 graded-stakes wins, up from 15 the year before.
And this year is shaping up as another good one, with 12 graded-stakes wins and earnings above $5.6 million. He won the Santa Anita training title (again) and is at the top of the leaderboard at Del Mar (again).
It’s a matter of quality more than quantity, D’Amato told Horse Racing Nation from Del Mar on Tuesday.
“We've got a nice bunch of quality horses and been very fortunate to keep them happy, healthy, and they're winning for us.”
D’Amato said he has about 120 horses in training in California and in a string in Kentucky. He provided updates on some of his top horses for the latest in HRN’s Barn Tour series.
Gold Phoenix. The 5-year-old gelding’s victory in the Eddie Read (G2) on Saturday was his second graded win of the year after he scored in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1) in March. “Gold Phoenix, he came out of his winning performance in really good shape,” D’Amato said. “As of now, I'm just going to point him to the race he won last year, the Del Mar Handicap (G2).”
Before the Eddie Read, “he'd been training very well. I had been running him at a mile just because he won a mile earlier on in the year, but I think in reality between a mile and an eighth and a mile and three eighths, right around there, that's his wheelhouse. And so I thought he might handle that distance better, and he was able to win.”
Balnikhov. This 4-year-old gelding was second to his stablemate in the Eddie Read by 3/4 lengths and won the San Francisco Mile (G3) in April. “Balnikhov's a really neat horse. He loves this Del Mar turf course. He'd been training very well also, and a proven stake winner at Del Mar last year. He ran a really good race, and I think I'm going to point him for the Del Mar Mile (G2).”
Macadamia. The 5-year-old daughter of Hat Trick took a break after traveling and winning the Wilshire (G3) and Gamely (G1) in the spring. “She ran a bunch of races in a short period of time. With the possibility of running her in the Breeders’ Cup, I want to space her races out accordingly so she's fresh and ready each time and have enough left in the tank for the Breeders’ Cup as well.” For her next start, “I could run her in the Yellow Ribbon (G2). Or I could just wait and run her in the (John C. Mabee Stakes, G2) and then the Rodeo Drive (G2) at Santa Anita with the idea of possibly running her in the Breeders’ Cup. They're going to run her once or twice here at Del Mar, but have not decided as of yet.”
Hong Kong Harry. The 6-year-old gelding also has had a “mini vacation” after three graded stakes this spring, most recently finishing third in the Shoemaker Mile (G1). “Hong Kong Harry had his first breeze back last Sunday at Del Mar on the turf course, he's doing well. He's probably on course to run in the Del Mar Mile.”
Motorious. Like his stablemates, this 5-year-old gelding hasn’t raced since the spring, when he was second in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint (G2). Before that, he won the San Simeon (G3). “Motorious will be pointed for the Green Flash (G3) on Sept. 2. Just same thing, he shipped around and just freshening him up so possibly could have a nice, fresh horse on our hands when it comes time in November for Breeders' Cup.”
Elm Drive. The 4-year-old daughter of Mohaymen won the Monrovia (G3) and the listed Mizdirection before her third-place finish in the Great Lady M (G2). “We've got plenty of options for her. We're going to take a look at the Clement Hirsch stake (G1) this coming weekend and possibly stretching her out on the dirt. We'll take a serious look at that. And if we don't run there, we'll run her in the Rancho Bernardo stake (G3) later on, which is a graded-stake, dirt sprint.”
Amy C. The 5-year-old daughter of Charming Thought won the listed Daisycutter Handicap at Del Mar on Saturday, her second win of the year after taking the La Cienegas (G3) in January. In between, she was third in the Intercontinental (G3) at Belmont. “Amy C's traveled all over the country. We could freshen her up and maybe just wait for the Senator Ken Maddy stake in September or look to see if there's something else. But she came out of the race in good shape, and I'm looking forward to running her here in a month or two.”
Alice Marble. The 6-year-old daughter of Grazen is 3-for-4 this year, all in black-type stakes, and had her last start in April. “We gave her a break off of her win at Golden Gate. She'd had a nice campaign this year. She's back in training, galloping. And I think that she might be due for a breeze here in the next week and a half or so” and likely will race in the fall.
Conclude. The 3-year-old son of Collected got his second win in a row last month in the listed Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar and is 3-for-5 on the year. “Conclude came out of his Oceanside victory in really good shape, and we're just going to wait and run him in the Del Mar Derby (G2).”
Newgrange. The 4-year-old Violence colt started the year with a win in the San Pascual (G2) and then was seventh in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) in March, which was his most recent start. “He had his second work back last Thursday. So we'll see. I don't think he'll make Del Mar, but something probably at Santa Anita. But he's come back, doing well, had a nice little freshening.”