Phil D'Amato | Horse Racing Free Tips

Acclimate, Rockemperor Among Seven Entered For Friday’s Hollywood Turf Cup

Phil D'Amato-trained Acclimate, John Shirreff's Astronaut, and Chad Brown-conditioned Rockemperor, last seen at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., in the $4 million Grade 1 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, are among seven entered today for Friday's $250,000 G2 Hollywood Turf Cup.

A victory, or high placing, for Acclimate, Astronaut, or Rockemperor, would salve the sting of ill-starred efforts in the Breeders' Cup, in the case of Astronaut and Rockemperor after gaining entry through “Win and You're In” victories.

Astronaut rallied in the stretch for a half-length victory in the Del Mar Handicap at odds of 24-1 on Pacific Classic Day in August. Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza found no clear path in the BC Turf, however, had to check hard before the quarter pole and finished 12th of 14. Rockemperor won the Turf Classic at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., in October but was in tight quarters throughout in the BC Turf and finished eighth.

Acclimate, with one win and three narrow losses in graded events leading up to the BC Turf, was close to the pace early before fading to last.

The post position draw was scheduled this afternoon. The entrants, in alphabetical order: Acclimate (Ricky Gonzalez); Astronaut (Espinoza); Award Winner (Juan Hernandez); Cupid's Claws (Abel Cedillo); Friar's Road (Umberto Rispoli), Rockemperor (Flavien Prat), and Say The Word (Kent Desormeaux).

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Turf Festival At Del Mar Attracts Number of East Coast Trainers

The nomination deadline is not until Thursday night for the seven stakes races from Thanksgiving Thursday to closing day on Sunday, November 28, unofficially known as the “Turf Festival” at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

And New York-based trainer Chad Brown, who has shipped in nine winners from his deep bench of grass runners in the past, hasn't been heard from yet.

But several other prominent Midwest- and East Coast-based conditioners have, leading to expectations in the racing office of quality and quantity invaders for the main events on the Bing Crosby Season's final four days.

A sneak peek, with horse names being withheld until close of entries:

Hollywood Turf Cup, Friday, November 26th, Grade 2, $250,000, 1 ½ miles (turf), 3-year-olds and up: Trainer Mike Maker has placed five in nomination for a race Brad Cox won last year with Arklow.

Hollywood Derby, Saturday, November 27th, Grade 1, $400,000, 1 1/8 miles (turf), 3-year-olds: Wesley Ward, Dallas Stewart, Ken McPeek, Maker (2), Jack Sisterson (2), Graham Motion, and Gregory Sacco have nominees. Brown has won it three times, sending out Annals of Time (2016), Raging Bull (2018), and Domestic Spending last year.

Seabiscuit Handicap, Saturday, November 27th, Grade 2, $250,000, 1 1/16 miles (turf), 3-year-olds and up: One horse from Japan is listed while Maker has submitted two names and Motion one. Phil D'Amato has carried the locally-based trainer banner to wins with Midnight Storm (2015), Hunt (2017), and Count Again (2020). Add Richard Baltas' win with Next Shares in 2019 and this has been a good Festival race for the home team.

Jimmy Durante Stakes, Saturday, November 27, Grade 3, $100,000, 1 mile (turf), 2-year-old fillies: Maker and Motion (2) have nominees for an event dominated by shippers over the years. Brown-trained Fluffy Socks won last year. Mike Stidham won the two years before that and George Weaver, Motion, and Mark Casse have also scored in the seven editions at Del Mar.

Cecil B. DeMille Stakes, Sunday, November 28, Grade 3, $100,000, 1 mile (turf), 2-year-olds: Motion has an early nominee in an event that has been good for locals. Smooth Like Strait won for Mike McCarthy in 2019 and Beer Can Man for Mark Glatt last year. Both horses ran during the recent Breeders' Cup Week here.

Matriarch Stakes, Sunday, November 28, Grade 1, $400,000, 1 mile (turf), older fillies and mares: Trainer Joe Sharp has two nominated and Stidham one for the climactic stakes race of the meeting. Brown has shipped in three winners in seven meetings, among them Viadera in 2020.

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Going Global Gets The Win In Goldikova At Del Mar

On the undercard for Saturday's Breeders' Cup World Championships, Going Global (IRE) angled out from the rail on the far turn to find racing room and surge to victory in the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

Sitting midpack through six furlongs, Going Global and Flaiven Prat bided their time behind leader Princess Grace through early fractions of :23.22 for the first quarter and :47.55 for the half-mile. Around the final turn, Prat moved his filly out to the outside of Zofelle (IRE) and Princess Grace, and sprinted to the lead midstretch to take the Goldikova by 2 1/2 lengths. Zofelle was second and favorite Princess Grace hung on for third. Abscond, Bodhicitta, Constantia, Ippodamia's Girl, and Glesga Gal rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the one-mile G2 stakes was 1:34.57. Find this race's chart here.

Going Global paid $7.60, $4.20, and $2.60. Zofelle paid $5.40 and $3.00. Princess Grade paid $2.20.

“We were running well all the way. She was comfortable. When I took her out she showed me a good turn of foot. When she finished she still had something in the tank,” Prat said after the Goldikova.

“I loved the position all the way around. And when Flavien (Prat) swung her outside in the stretch she really hit a great stride. This is a big step up, going against older fillies and mares, and she handled it beautifully,” trainer Phil D'Amato told the Del Mar Press Office after the race.

Bred in Ireland by N. Hartery, Going Global is by Mehmas (IRE) out of the Invasor (ARG) mare Wrood. The 3-year-old filly is owned by CYBT, Michael Dubb, Saul Gervetz, Michael Nentwig, and Ray Pagano. Consigned by The Castlebridge Consignment, Going Global was purchased by Pioneer Racing for $16,987 at the 2019 Goffs Sportsman's Yearling Sale. In 2021, the filly also has victories in the G1 Del Mark Oaks, the G2 Honeymoon, and the G3 Providencia for a record of six wins in seven starts and career earnings of $648.792.

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Burgoo Alley Best In Autumn Miss At Santa Anita

Burgoo Alley (IRE) was not going to let a little traffic keep her from getting the win in the Grade 3 Autumn Miss at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. Fifth behind horses around the far turn, the daughter of Footstepsinthesand (GB) angled out from the rail and sprinted past Spanish Loveaffair and Zero Tolerance to win the one-mile turf stakes.

Breaking from post three, jockey Umberto Rispoli settled Burgoo Alley in fifth behind frontrunners Zero Tolerance and Spanish Loveaffair around the first turn and into the backstretch. As the field of eight reached the far turn, Burgoo Alley had some horses in front of her, unable to move from her rail spot until they entered the stretch. Rispoli moved her out as Spanish Loveaffair wore down Zero Tolerance. Spanish Loveaffair held the lead briefly, but Burgoo Alley surged past her to win the G3 Autumn Miss by a half-length. Javanica passed Zero Tolerance late to finish third.

The final time for the one-mile stakes was 1:34.37. Find this race's chart here.

Burgoo Alley paid $12.60, $5.60, and $3.80. Spanish Loveaffair paid $4.20 and $3.20. Javanica paid $5.60.

“I think the distance is the key for her. Last time we tried six and a half going down the hill. I would not say that she ran a bad race. I think the six and a half was definitely too short for her. I knew today that I could end up in a nice spot. She was sharp from the gate, giving me the chance to be where I wanted to be, just behind the favorite (Spanish Loveaffair) and I got a very nice trip and she put down a nice performance,” Rispoli said after the race. “Because I was on the fence behind Javanica, my first thought was to end up behind Abel (Cedillo, aboard Spanish Loveaffair) since I thought she was the horse to beat. At the five-eighths pole, I was where I wanted to be and she did the rest.”

Bred in Ireland by Eoghan Grogan, Burgoo Alley is out of the Daylami mare Nurama (GB). Trained by Phil D'Amato, the 3-year-old filly is owned by CYBT, Michael Nentwig, and Ray Pagano. Consigned by Killourney Mor Farm, she was an $18,299 RNA at the 2019 Goffs February Mixed Sale. With her victory in the Autumn Miss, the filly has three wins in seven starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of 9-3-2-1 and career earnings of $170,330.

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