Oscar Dominguez upsets favorite United in Del Mar's Hollywood Turf Cup
Oscar Dominguez scored his first graded stakes victory Sunday by upsetting a Breeders’ Cup-placed rival.
The 6-year-old gelding, an Irish-bred son of Zoffany, came from last in the field take the Grade 2, $200,000 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes at Del Mar in 2:28.17.
Oscar Dominguez scored by a neck over United, the even-money favorite who was second Nov. 2 in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita Park.
Richard Baltas trains Oscar Dominguez, who started his career in Europe before coming to the U.S. at 3 in 2016. He’s run mostly in allowance optional claiming company before stepping into graded competition his last four races.
Oscar Dominguez came into Sunday’s race off a fourth-place run Sept. 28 in Santa Anita’s John Henry Turf Championship Stakes (G2). In that race, he finished one spot behind United, a 4-year-old Giant’s Causeway gelding who ran second only to Horse of the Year favorite Bricks and Mortar five weeks later in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
United and Oscar Dominguez ran ninth and 10th, respectively, through the first mile of Sunday’s 1 ½-mile Hollywood Turf Cup. Meanwhile, Zestful led through fractions of :23.68, :48.65, 1:13.43 and 1:38.43.
Chosen Vessel and Overdue breezed by Zestful on the field’s second time through the far turn. Oscar Dominguez moved up under jockey John Velazquez through the center of the track, while United revved up on the far outside under Flavien Prat.
Oscar Dominguez tilted out slightly – coming into close quarters with United – when Cleopatra’s Strike veered out ahead of those two in the early stretch. Oscar Dominguez regathered and powered home ahead of United and Ward ‘n Jerry, who closed hard on the inside for third.
Nancy Messineo and Bruce Sands campaign Oscar Dominguez. His win returned $24.20 and gave Baltas two Grade 2 scores in as many days at Del Mar, following Next Shares’ triumph Saturday in the Seabiscuit Handicap.
“Hall of Fame ride," Baltas said. "This means a lot. We claimed the horse for $40,000 and he’s been overachieving the whole time we’ve had him. Today there was enough pace for him to run at, John (Velazquez) was here to ride him and everything worked out."