Del Mar 2022: Newgrange moves from Baffert to D’Amato
Del Mar, Calif.
Sold less than three weeks ago, two-time Grade 3 winner Newgrange has been transferred to barn of Phil D’Amato with plans to race him this summer at Del Mar.
Bought at a Kentucky auction for $325,000 by Gary Hartunian’s Rockingham Ranch, the 3-year-old Violence colt had been with trainer Bob Baffert.
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D’Amato had intended to make another change with Newgrange. That would have been a move to the turf starting with next Sunday’s La Jolla Handicap (G3).
But after three weekly workouts on the Del Mar turf, including Sunday’s 1:03.8 over five furlongs, D’Amato changed his mind.
“He told me he’s probably not suited for the grass,” D’Amato said. “I think we’re going to maybe get a race into him on the dirt. Our main objective here at Del Mar probably is the Shared Belief Stakes near the end of the meet.”
That listed race for 3-year-olds covering a mile on the dirt is scheduled for Sept. 3.
“He’s training very well,” D’Amato said, “but I could just tell the difference between a horse that relishes the turf and one that just doesn’t change gears that way. He kind of showed me today that he’d much rather be on the main track.”
Newgrange began his career with three wins in as many starts for Baffert starting with a 1 1/2-length score as a 2-1 second choice in his six-furlong debut Nov. 28 at Del Mar.
Next came a frontrunning, 2 3/4-length triumph over stablemate Rockefeller in the New Year’s Day running of the Sham (G3) going a two-turn mile at Santa Anita.
As a 3-2 favorite, Newgrange overcame a wide draw when he came from 2 1/2 lengths behind to win the 1 1/16-mile Southwest Stakes (G3) on Jan. 29 at Oaklawn.
A return trip to Arkansas and a step up to Grade 2 company proved too much for Newgrange on Feb. 26. As a 4-5 favorite, he challenged a soft early pace only to fade late and finish sixth in the 1 1/16-mile Rebel.
Newgrange was given a break after that. He was supposed to start for Tim Yakteen, one of the trainers who took on horses during Baffert’s 90-day suspension that ended early this month. But he was scratched without explanation after being entered in the Affirmed (G3) on June 11.
The colt had been owned by a partnership led by SF Racing, which is managed by Tom Ryan. Jack and Laurie Wolf’s Starlight Racing and Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stables also were among the minority owners.
Newgrange was sold July 11 at the Fasig-Tipton sale for horses of racing age. It was his second time through the ring. The SF Racing partnership had bought him as a yearling for $125,000 after he had been bred in Kentucky by Jack Mandato and Black Rock Thoroughbreds.