Saturday Stakes Winners All Doing Well; Trio Eyes Breeders’ Cup

All four winners of Santa Anita's stakes on Saturday–Slow Down Andy (Nyquist), Dr. Schivel (Violence), Lane Way (Into Mischief) and Hong Kong Harry (Ire) (Es Que Love {Ire})–were resting and doing well Sunday morning. Three from that group will head to the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Nov. 3-4.

Slow Down Andy, front-running winner of the GII Awesome Again, “ate up a full feed tub and is doing great this morning,” said Leandro Mora, assistant for trainer Doug O'Neill.

Second in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland, Slow Down Andy this year will target the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic at 1 1/4 miles.

Dr. Schivel scored by a head over Speed Boat Beach (Bayern) in the GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship under Juan Hernandez, earning a 103 Beyer.

“This horse keeps coming back off extended vacations and is always pretty much the same horse,” Mark Glatt said. “That's pretty hard to do. We'll see if he has one more good one in him.”

Dr. Schivel will now get a second crack in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. Two years ago at Del Mar in the Del Mar Sprint, the now 5-year-old Violence colt endured a heart-breaking nose loss to Aloha West.

“You're just hopeful for opportunities and the Breeders' Cup is a big one,” Glatt said. “He'll be on his home track. There will be plenty of tough competition I'm sure, but we'll give it our best shot.”

Trained by Richard Mandella, Lane Way earned a 95 Beyer Saturday and will be pointed to the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Nov. 4. It will be contested at five furlongs, which Mandella acknowledged is perhaps shorter than Lane Way's ideal trip.

“They're not going to change it for me,” he said.

Hong Kong Harry, a neck winner of the GII City of Hope Mile, is not nominated to the Breeders' Cup and won't be supplemented, trainer Phil D'Amato said Sunday.

“The owners would have to put up a couple hundred thousand to run. We're going to just wait for the (GII) Seabiscuit,” D'Amato added.

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Hong Kong Harry Disqualified from Second Place in GI Turf Classic

Hong Kong Harry (Ire) (Es Que Love {Ire}), who crossed the wire second in the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic S. at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day was officially disqualified by the Churchill Downs stewards in an Aug. 26 ruling. The ruling came after the post-race urine sample and a subsequent split sample tested positive for the substance mofebutazone.

In addition, trainer Phil D'Amato was fined $1,000 and owners Scott Anasstasi, Jimmy Ukegawa and Tony Valazazz had to forfeit $194,000 in purse earnings. D'Amato and the owners waived their right to a formal hearing.

The Blood-Horse was the first to report the story.

Mofebutazone is a drug used for joint and muscular pain, but is not approved by the Federal Drug Administration for use in any species. Because it is not FDA approved, it is considered a banned substance under the Horse Racing Safety and Integrity Act (HISA). However, HISA's Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program did not go into effect until May 22. Had HISA rules been in place, D'Amato could have been charged with using a banned substance, which can result in a suspension of up two years and a $25,000 fine.

At deadline for this story, D'Amato's attorney Darrell Vienna had not returned a phone call from the TDN. He told the Blood-Horse, “We presented some evidence and it was reviewed by the stewards,” Vienna said. “Based upon the specific facts and circumstances in the case, the stewards reached what in my opinion was a fair and appropriate decision. What we're talking about is a substance that is essentially very weak (phenylbutazone). The substance, to my client's knowledge, he neither administered nor caused it to be administered. It was basically of unknown origin.”

This was the third disqualification from a race run during Kentucky Derby week due to a drug positive. In 2020, Gamine (Into Mischief) was disqualified after crossing the wire third in the GI Kentucky Oaks after testing positive for betamethasone for trainer Bob Baffert. The following year, the Baffert-trained Medina Spirit (Protonico) also tested positive for betamethasone after crossing the wire first in the GI Kentucky Derby. Owner Amr Zedan is still contesting Medina Spirit's disqualification in court.

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Exaulted Stays Perfect On Turf, Secures BC Mile Berth in Shoemaker Mile

Sent off the 3-1 second favorite to maintain a perfect record in four starts since switching to the grass just after the turn of the calendar, C R K Stable's Exaulted (Twirling Candy) was forwardly placed behind a pair of longshot leaders, got first crack at them into the stretch and kicked home smartly to win the GI Shoemaker Mile Monday at Santa Anita and with it, a fees-paid berth into the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile over the course and distance in November.

Away smoothly for Juan Hernandez, the $77,000 Keeneland November weanling turned $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling was taken hold of and sat third as Lamplighter Jack (Fed Biz) came across from his high draw to set the pace while prompted by fellow outside Flavius (War Front). Clocking that pair on the backstretch run, Exaulted was waited with into the final half-mile and was nudged along three wide around the far turn while zeroing in on the leaders. Lamplighter Jack called it a day, leaving Flavius along up front for a stride or two entering the stretch, but Exaulted rolled up to lead approaching the eighth pole and came home gamely to score nicely. Irideo (Arg) (Easing Along) weaved his way through traffic to be second at 41-1, while favored Hong Kong Harry (Ire) (Es Que Love {Ire}) was short of racing room when the real running was about to begin and did well to be third.

“This horse has been improving every race,” said meet-leading rider Hernandez. “He is always in a good position. He broke really sharp today and I took him back. At the three eighths, I asked him to pick it up and it was time to go. I passed a horse to get the lead and he didn't let other horses pass him.”

Having run big numbers in his first three starts, Exaulted broke his maiden in optional claiming company in February 2021, but that proved his lone victory from 11 tries on the dirt to go with third placings in the GII San Carlos S. and GII Triple Bend S. The bay switched to the grass this past January, winning allowance tests at a mile Jan. 2 and Feb. 5 before accounting for Irideo in the GIII American S. Apr. 2.

Pedigree Notes:

Exaulted is an eighth Grade I winner for Lane's End's Twirling Candy and is one of five winners out of a half-sister to GIII Arlington-Washington Lassie S. victress Wonderlandbynight (Sky Mesa). The latter's half-sister Ada Clare (Forest Wildcat) is the dam of five winners–four of which are by Twirling Candy–including the stakes-placed Big Boy Candy. Gilded Time, who was represented by GII Triple Bend S. winner Spirit of Makena (Ghostzapper) May 27, is now the broodmare sire of nine worldwide Grade I/Group 1 winners. Gilded Miracle passed away in 2019 at the age of 15.

Monday, Santa Anita
SHOEMAKER MILE S.-GI, $503,000, Santa Anita, 5-29, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:34.08, fm.
1–EXAULTED, 122, h, 6, by Twirling Candy
1st Dam: Gilded Miracle, by Gilded Time
2nd Dam: Onemiracleatatime, by Gulch
3rd Dam: Katie Love, by Manila
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($77,000 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $200,000 Ylg '18
FTSAUG). O-C R K Stable LLC; B-Jack Swain (KY); T-Peter
Eurton; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $300,000. Lifetime Record:
15-5-3-4, $603,660. Werk Nick Rating: F.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Irideo (Arg), 122, g, 7, Easing Along–Infiltrada (Arg), by
Footstepsinthesand (GB). O/B-Pozo de Luna (Arg); T-Marcelo
Polanco. $100,000.
3–Hong Kong Harry (Ire), 124, g, 6, Es Que Love (Ire)–Vital Body
(Fr), by Gold Away (Ire). (£185,000 RNA 4yo '21 GOFFLN;
85,000gns 4yo '21 TATAHI). O-Scott Anastasi, Jimmy Ukegawa
and Tony Valazza; B-Amarath Business Management (Ire);
T-Philip D'Amato. $60,000.
Margins: HF, 1, 1. Odds: 3.10, 41.70, 1.60.
Also Ran: Il Bellator, Cabo Spirit, Du Jour, Gold Phoenix (Ire), Balnikhov (Ire), Salesman (Ire), Flavius, Lamplighter Jack.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Imports a Key Pillar of Phil D’Amato’s Winning Strategy

Plenty of imports into the clogged Southern California shipping terminals of Los Angeles and Long Beach have been left idle these past few months, collateral damage in a supply-side bottle-neck.

Imports into the Southern California stable of Phil D'Amato, on the other hand, have been far more effectively commandeered.

“It's a really good strategy for owners to help them make money and have fun in the process,” says D'Amato, caught mid-morning between scrutinizing his trainees jog a dusty Santa Anita horse-path under a blazing hot sun and a scouting trip to Del Mar in preparation for the annual coastal caravan south.

D'Amato's “strategy” is a reference to his equine pipeline from Europe which, unlike the Nord Stream twins out of Russia, doesn't appear at risk of any imminent shut-off–not if recent results are any guide.

D'Amato's record-setting 67 victories this past Winter-Spring meet at Santa Anita–57 of them on the turf and 16 of them in stakes–included the ex-Euro winners of the GII Royal Heroine S. in Going Global (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), the GIII Senorita S. in Island of Love (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), and GIII American S. in Hong Kong Harry (Ire) (Es Que Love {Ire}).

A glance through some of D'Amato's less starry winners these past six months illuminates another intriguing pattern–that a good number of those purloined from Ireland come with report cards largely empty, save the odd check mark or two at some of that country's more pastoral venues.

“It's trying to get those diamonds in the rough at the right time for the right price and Dundalk seems to be the right venue to do that,” says D'Amato.

Such rare mineral scavenging has unearthed the recent winners Rhea Moon (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) and Ma France (Ire) (Caravaggio), both placed at the East Irish track before their relocation Stateside, as well as Gold Phoenix (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) a winner at Dundalk last year before finishing runner-up in the GII Charles Whittingham S. in April.

Why the smaller Irish tracks? Thrift, for one.

“It's just an easier venue to buy out of,” explains D'Amato. “You can buy a horse on the upswing, one that's going the right way, versus if they've run at the Curragh or Newmarket or Ascot, what they're going to be asking for it.”

That, and with fewer tracks to review, “you have a better line on the form,” he added.

The way D'Amato describes it, he and his fellow Transatlantic bargain hunters–bloodstock agents Niall Dalton, Michael Donohoe and Craig Rounsefell–have honed their operation into something of a well-oiled machine.

Think the East India Tea Company, only with none of that, how shall we call it–colonial baggage.

“It's everyone kind of working together to keep the wheel moving–us buying them, then developing them and getting rewarded for that,” he says, without hesitating to spill the tea on any trade secrets. “It's all of us watching these races every day and trying to find the horses that we think have talent.

“Niall and Michael have great relationships over there with the trainers and know which horses they think would be appropriate to buy. The right kind of style to fit in California,” he adds.

And what style is that?

“Really, most of these Europeans are small, so, you've got to kind of put that in the back of your mind, that you're not going to find these imposing 16-hand tall horses. You're going to find these smaller athletes. But at the same time, usually, these lighter made horses, if they can take to the surface here, they're easier on themselves,” he says, adding, “I can't emphasize enough that I think the more time you give them to acclimate usually the better rewarded you are when you run them.”

Right now, says D'Amato, with prizemoney in Ireland and England especially in such palliative care, the overseas market is ripe for plunder, many smaller outfits, in particular, relying more and more on the selling of their young stock to keep the bloodhounds from snapping at their heels.

“For most of them, this is what they do for a living. Most of them are traders with the way the purse structure is there,” D'Amato says. “Those are the people that are in it really to buy yearlings at a cheaper price and develop them and potentially sell them for a nice profit at two and three.

“And yeah, we're definitely not looking to buy off the Aidan and Joseph O'Briens of the world there because number one, they're not sellers. And two, their stock is–they're just very well-bred expensive horses, so that just doesn't fit what we're looking for.”

Mention of the O'Briens gives rise to recent news of the prodigal son setting up a small satellite operation at Saratoga this summer.

What if the young O'Brien–or some comparable European stable–decided to set up a small hypothetical camp in Southern California, maybe even Santa Anita next winter? Would D'Amato welcome such a challenge on his home turf?

“Well, I mean, hey, so long as you can welcome the competition and it helps the races fill, I don't have a problem with it. I mean, the same goes if I were to ship horses to Saratoga or try to win a race elsewhere. We're all doing what we can do to try to win races.

“But yeah, Joseph O'Brien, I've definitely watched him from afar. And you can tell he's the kind of person that could definitely supersede what his father's done, just by how young he is and what he's accomplished already.”

The parallels between the scion of the O'Brien clan and D'Amato's emergence as a trainer in his own standing, fully out from under the shadow cast by his long-time mentor, Mike Mitchell, are too obvious to leave undrawn.

Indeed, in a little more than eight years, D'Amato has almost doubled the graded stakes haul of Mitchell's, thoroughly eclipsing his former boss' Grade I total already. And he's done it with minimal window-dressing.

Whereas many trainers proudly wear their grouchy irascibility like a colorful tunic at Mardi Gras, or court the press with quote-ready aphorisms designed for the next day's headlines, D'Amato's approach is a contradiction, no-nonsense and business-like, pleasant and personable.

Little old ladies looking for a helping hand across Santa Anita's Baldwin Avenue swoon when they see D'Amato approach.

Given what he's achieved already in the sorts of big races populated by names like Whittingham, McAnally, Frankel, Mandella and Drysdale, where does he see his burgeoning record when placed alongside those history makers?

“I guess in a sense, with the bar set where it is, we just want to continue to keep building on that and doing what we've done the previous meet. So, I definitely take it as a challenge. But those are the situations I thrive on. Yeah, I like the challenge of it.”

He adds, however, “When I start a meet, I never look at statistics and how I'm going to start the meeting and how many wins I expect. I always look at it from the perspective of putting the horses in the right spots and also giving them their best chances to develop.”

Such an approach helps to avoid being pigeon-holed as a trainer–the ultimate bete noir of the rookie looking to expand and grow a competitive barn.

For every young import in the D'Amato stable, green as the emerald grass they grew up on, there's an older American-bred as hard as a walnut husk with as many miles in their wheels as an old Ford Model T.

The Red Kings (English Channel) of the world, they love and they thrive on running,” D'Amato says of his Kentucky-bred 8-year-old, still competitive in graded stakes even with more than 40 runs under his belt.

“I've got great owners and an operation where we can take our time and run them when they're ready to run,” he adds, in explanation. “We don't have to force them to run in spots just because this spot or that spot comes up in three weeks.”

Notably, D'Amato has achieved his upward trajectory at a time when getting a horse to the races in California has rarely been harder, given the suite of welfare measures implemented in recent years–measures, it needs to be said, that have helped situate California at the head of the nation in equine safety.

“I mean, it's definitely been a learning experience for every trainer,” says D'Amato. “But I think it just makes us focus on giving these horses breaks when they need time off. All my owners are in favor of that and I think it just helps the horse's longevity at the end of the day.

“It's always been one of my things, to give horses two, three months off after they've had their run for the year,” he adds. “But I think it really, I wouldn't say forces, but makes all these trainers realize it's probably a better way of doing things in order to keep these horses around longer, happier and healthier.”

With Del Mar just around the corner, D'Amato shared running plans for some of his stable stars and emerging lights.

Count Again (Awesome Again): “We're freshening him up. He likes a lot of spacing in between his races and he's doing well. But we'll run him in the [Sept. 3] GII Del Mar Mile and then maybe just wait until the Breeders' Cup Mile.”

Desert Dawn (Cupid): “Desert Dawn is going to take on older horses in the [Aug. 6] GI Clement Hirsch S. on the dirt.”

Leggs Galore (Bayern): “She is going to run in the [July 29] Daisycutter H. sprint.”

Going Global (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}): “She will run in the [Aug. 13] Yellow Ribbon H.”

Going to Vegas (Goldencents): “Going to Vegas will probably wait to run in the [Sept. 10] GII John C. Mabee S. and then hopefully the GI Rodeo Drive S. at back at San Anita. That's our two-way plan.”

Bellabel (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}): “She's going to run opening weekend in the [July 23] GII San Clemente S. She's doing really well. She's this big, for a European, big gangly filly. [After her win in the Blue Norther S.] we put that race under her and just kind of gave her a little time, freshened her up. Now, hopefully, we can knock out some of these 3-year-old stakes, try to win the [Aug. 20] GI Del Mar Oaks with her down the road. That's kind of our master plan. But we've got to run in the San Clemente first.”

Cathkin Peak (Ire) (Alhebayeb {Ire}): “He's doing very well. He's going to run in the [July 31] GII Eddie Read S.”

Says D'Amato of his Del Mar squad, “This year, knock on wood, I'm pretty deep in those [big] races. We've kind of freshened up, ready to go.”

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