Fault leads D'Amato's Belmont Stakes Racing Festival shippers

Trainer Phil D'Amato doesn't often make the trek from California to New York, with only a handful of stakes starters over the past few years. His record, though, has been solid, with two victories, one second and one fourth in six races, including Coppa's win in Grade 3 Victory Ride and Obviously's triumph in the Grade 3 Poker, both in 2016.

On Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday, June 9, the 42-year-old D'Amato is hoping to improve on that record when he saddles Grade 1 winner Fault in the Grade 1, $750,000 Ogden Phipps, Grade 1 winner Ransom the Moon in the Grade 1, $1.2 million Runhappy Met Mile and graded stakes winner Spectator in the Grade 1, $700,000 Acorn.

Fault, a 4-year-old Blame filly, has reeled off three straight graded stakes wins (and earned $420,000) since being transferred to D'Amato's barn over the winter, taking the Grade 2 Buena Vista on the Santa Anita turf, followed by a pair of victories on the dirt: a last-to-first win the Grade 1 Santa Margarita at 1 1/8 miles and a similar score in the Grade 3 Adoration at 1 1/16 miles.

"From Day 1 when we got her she trained like a horse who would love the dirt, not like a grass horse who just trains all right on dirt," said D'Amato, a former assistant to Mike Mitchell in California. "She proved she's legit on dirt when she won the Santa Margarita [by 6 ½ lengths] and then when she won the Adoration, it reinforced that."

A "Win and You're In" race for the Breeders' Cup Distaff, the Ogden Phipps is contested at 1 1/16 miles, albeit around one turn, and is expected to attract, among others, last year's Acorn winner, Abel Tasman, Grade 1 Humana Distaff winner American Gal, Grade 2 Ruffian winner Pacific Wind, and Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap winner Unbridled Mo.

D'Amato, however, is confident in his filly's ability.

"She has that big run, and the big sweeping turns at Belmont should suit her," said D'Amato of Fault, who will have Giovanni Franco in the irons. "It would be nice to get another Grade 1 win on the dirt."

As well, the prestige of the Met Mile made the race difficult to pass up for Ransom the Moon, beaten favorite in the Grade 2, 6 1/2-furlong Kona Gold in his 2018 debut. The 6-year-old son of Malibu Moon complied a 6-3-1 record in 2017 for D'Amato, including wins in the Kona Gold and the Grade 1 Bing Crosby at six furlongs. The one-mile Metropolitan will be his first start at the distance since a third-place finish on the Woodbine turf in 2016.

"He's got tactical speed and Flavien [Prat] knows him well," said the trainer. "It's a great race and certainly worth taking a swing at."

Spectator has been no worse than third in five career starts, with victories in a maiden race, an optional claimer and the Grade 2 Sorrento as well as a third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante to close out her 2-year-old campaign. Last time out, the Jimmy Creed filly was second to Midnight Bisou in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks at 1 1/16 miles.

"She's graded-stakes placed around two turns," said D'Amato. "She got a little late the last sixteenth [in the Oaks], and again I think the mile and the one-turn race in the Acorn might play to her advantage."

D'Amato said Javier Castellano, aboard in the Oaks, will ride in the Acorn. All three are scheduled to arrive at Belmont Park on Tuesday.