Hong Kong Harry Caps Santa Anita Meet for D'Amato

Phil D’Amato’s sensational Santa Anita Park meet was capped by a win in the final race of the day June 19 in the $100,000 American Stakes (G3T) with Hong Kong Harry . The trainer recorded his 63rd victory of the meet, of which a remarkable 57 came on the grass.

Boomer Bloodstock scooped up the then 4-year-old Hong Kong Harry for $122,768 at last fall's Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale from the Musley Bank Stables consignment. D'Amato has been patient with the son of Es Que Love , allowing the gelding to acclimate and develop over the last six months while climbing the conditions ladder. 

After taking two straight allowance races at Santa Anita, Hong Kong Harry went to the post as the 2-1 favorite in his stakes debut in the mile American against nine opponents.

The gelding brought his 'A' game from the gate today after breaking slowly in his two prior starts. Jumping sharply from the barrier, jockey Ramon Vazquez was able to tuck Hong Kong Harry into a perfect stalking position along the rail behind pacesetters Kentucky Pharoah  and Tarantino . East Coast shipper Kentucky Pharoah carved out a :23.52 quarter and :47.05 half-mile into the far bend. Vazquez, full of horse, cut the corner three-wide on Hong Kong Harry as the horses in his path fanned out, and the gelding streaked to take command down the lane.

Longshot Homer Screen  nearly gave trainer Neil Drysdale a second stakes win of the day with a powerful late bid but fell three-quarters of a length short of catching Hong Kong Harry. Tarantino battled on for third, three-quarters of a length in front of 2021 Pacific Classic (G1) hero Tripoli .

"I loved where we were sitting the whole time. I left it up to Ramon, and I was just hoping he could find a spot to get through at the end," D'Amato said. "Ramon did a great job and the horse really spurted home nicely.

"He's a horse that always trained with a lot of ability. I think gradually bringing him through his conditions and building up his confidence, he's got a huge heart and hopefully we can keep going up the ladder."

Hong Kong Harry stopped the timer in 1:33.87 on a turf course rated as firm.

Running for the colors of Scott Anastasi, Jimmy Ukegawa, and Tony Valazza, Hong Kong Harry improved his record to 7-1-1 from 10 starts for earnings of $185,097. The chestnut broke his maiden and captured two handicap races in Ireland prior to being shipped overseas.

Hong Kong Harry, bred by Amarath Business Management, is out of the stakes-placed Gold Away  mare Vital Body, the dam of four winners from five foals to race. Her youngest offspring include an unraced 2-year-old filly by Bungle Inthejungle (GB) named Singapore Sally and a yearling colt by Kodiac (GB).

Breakpoint Wins San Juan Capistrano 

It had been 18 months and one long trip away from his native country since Breakpoint  had seen the winner’s circle. Under a masterful ride from Tyler Baze, the group 1 winner finally broke through with his first stateside victory in a tight finish June 19 in the $125,000 San Juan Capistrano Stakes (G3T).

Baze quickly guided the horse he fondly referred to as a “steady plodder” to the front of the 1¾-mile marathon as the field raced down the backstretch for the first time. Breakpoint appeared to relish the firm Southern California turf, cruising through fractions of :23.61, 47.97, and 1:13.10. Modus Operandi  tracked in second throughout, ranged within a head of Breakpoint’s lead around the final turn before waving the white flag at the mile marker.

Shaken up at the top of the lane, Breakpoint surged to the wire as Avenue  and favored Red King , who was bottled up in traffic nearly the entire length of the stretch and only found running room in the final sixteenth, closed swiftly. Breakpoint prevailed by a head over the unlucky Red King, with Avenue a half-length back in third.

"He'll run all day long," Baze said of Breakpoint. "He doesn't want you to take a hold of him, he's a free-running horse. I asked him to pick it up around the turn and he just kept plodding along. He galloped out strong, way ahead of everybody. I'd say the further he can run, the better."

Breakpoint, returning from an eight-month layoff, clocked the 1¾ miles in 2:47.32.

Red King’s stablemate Rijeka  was pulled up on the far turn and walked off.

The San Juan Capistrano was Breakpoint's first start for trainer Neil Drysdale. A homebred for Don Alberto Stable, the 5-year-old son of Constitution   had been trained by Chad Brown and Steve Asmussen without much success.

"It's good to see this horse get his form back from South America," Drysdale said. "I'm just delighted for the horse and the owner, Don Alberto, to see this horse come back to life again."

Breakpoint is the second stakes winner produced by the group 2-winning Seeking the Dia mare Safawi . His half sister Suspira Mi Amor (Lookin At Lucky  ) is a group 3 winner and group 1 placed in Chile.

Video: San Juan Capistrano S. (G3T)

Video: American S. (G3T)