Oscar Dominguez Breaks Through in Hollywood Turf Cup
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Oscar Dominguez wins the Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar
Oscar Dominguez has been a popular horse on the Southern California circuit—he was claimed five times for $40,000 at the optional claiming allowance level. Trainer Richard Baltas last claimed him Feb. 7 for Nancy Messineo and Bruce Sands, and Dec. 1 at Del Mar he broke through in the $201,755 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (G2T) under jockey John Velazquez.
"Hall of Fame ride. This means a lot. We claimed the horse for $40,000, and he's been overachieving the whole time we've had him," Baltas said. "Today there was enough pace for him to run at, John was here to ride him, and everything worked out."
Bred in Ireland, Oscar Dominguez is the product of Whisperview Trading, a partnership between trainer Aidan O'Brien and his wife, Anne-Marie Crowley. He's sired by Zoffany and is the final foal out of the Fairy King mare American Queen. The chestnut made four starts in Ireland at 2 for those connections before arriving in the United States.
Oscar Dominguez started his stateside career with trainer Patrick Gallagher. He then passed through the stables of John Sadler, Jack Carava, Adam Kitchingman, and Peter Miller. The 6-year-old gelding scored his first stakes placings this year, finishing second in the June 23 San Juan Capistrano Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park and the Aug. 17 Del Mar Handicap Presented by The Japan Racing Association (G2T). Both losses came behind frontrunning Acclimate.
The Hollywood Turf Cup presented familiar rivals. Oscar Dominguez was fourth last out in the Sept. 28 John Henry Turf Championship Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita. The respective first- and third-place finishers, Cleopatra's Strike and United, were back for Sunday's 1 1/2-mile turf test.
Zestful led the first mile, setting fractions of :23.68, :48.65, 1:13.43, and 1:38.83. Velazquez let Oscar Dominguez drop back to last of 10, trailing by 1 1/2 lengths a third of the way through. Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) runner-up United and Cleopatra's Strike were also near the back of the field. Cleopatra's Strike moved earliest and was in third with a quarter-mile to run, while United dropped back to last, a head behind Oscar Dominguez.
Velazquez took his mount four wide turning for home, and United came six wide under Flavien Prat. The two closed on Cleopatra's Strike, and Oscar Dominguez found company as Ward 'n Jerry strode up the inside. Oscar Dominguez was able to hold off United by a neck. The final time was 2:28.17 on firm going.
"No special instructions from the trainer. He said, 'You've seen the PPs, you know how to ride, go do it,'" Velazquez said. "That's how I like it. He came away from there well, and the pace was fine. He was comfortable, so I left him alone. When we hit the three-eighths (pole), we squeezed between two horses and then he took it. It sure is nice when they do that."
United finished a head in front of Ward 'n Jerry, who bested Cleopatra's Strike by three-quarters of a length.
"They really slowed it down on the backside, and I found myself too far back," Prat said. "He ran a good race. He tried."
Oscar Dominguez paid $24.20 for a $2 win bet. He improved his record to 6-6-4 in 37 starts, with earnings of $427,630.