Gold Phoenix Got a Golden Trip, BC Bid, in Del Mar Hcp
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Gold Phoenix wins the Del Mar Handicap for the second consecutive year at Del Mar
Gold Phoenix got a golden trip in the Del Mar Handicap (G2T) Sept. 2, finding room just when he needed it, shooting through to land a 1 1/4-length victory and secure a "Win and You're In" spot in November's Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T).
It was the second straight victory for the 5-year-old Belardo gelding following the Eddie Read Stakes (G2T) over the same Del Mar turf course July 30. It also was the second straight Del Mar Handicap win for Gold Phoenix.
Jockey Juan Hernandez settled Gold Phoenix well back in the field from an outside post position and waited patiently around the first two turns and down the backstretch into the third. Crosby Beach and Azul Coast contested the lead through the bulk of the 1 3/8 miles with Nineeleventurbo and Planetario in close pursuit.
Turning for home, Hernandez had plenty of horse but nowhere to go until a seam opened toward the outside of the leading pack. Gold Phoenix quickly took advantage of the opening and just as quickly put matters to rest, finishing in 2:15.34 over firm turf.
Nineeleventurbo won a photo for second over Cash Equity , giving trainer Phil D'Amato first and third in the order of finish. Neil Drysdale conditions Nineeleventurbo.
"I had a lot of horse all the race," Hernandez said. "But this horse, he's so patient and I just have to trust him and stay with him as long as I can. So around the quarter-pole, I had lot of horse but I had a couple horses in front of me. And so I tried to wait a little longer and then a spot opened for me and I asked him. He picked it up right away and then he won the race.
"He's a beast," the rider added.
After winning the 2022 Del Mar Handicap, Gold Phoenix finished third, beaten just a neck, in the John Henry Turf Classic (G2T) at Santa Anita Park, then reported 10th in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland.
This season, he won the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1T) in March, finished fourth in the Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2T) in April going 1 1/4 miles, then was seventh in the Shoemaker Mile (G1T) May 29. His only races at 1 3/8 miles have been the two Del Mar Handicap wins.
The gelding, owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables, and Marsha Naify, improved his record to 6-3-3 from 15 lifetime starts.
D'Amato has been cautiously managing a barnful of talented turf runners all year on the Southern California circuit and Gold Phoenix's victory should start to clarify where they will stack up moving toward the Breeders' Cup.
The experimenting was going on even leading into the Del Mar Handicap as D'Amato said he planned to deliver new instructions for yet another of his entries, Cathkin Peak .
"We're trying a little experiment with him today," D'Amato said, "taking him back a little farther and see if he runs better,"
Cathkin Peak in fact raced last, just behind his stablemate, but didn't find the kick that Gold Phoenix showed, finishing sixth in traffic.
Other were trying new twists as well.
John Sadler said his original plan for Missed the Cut, a Kentucky-bred who had run well on the turf in Europe, was to try the dirt racing in California.
"We thought, being by Quality Road , he'd have a chance to excel here in this weak handicap division. It didn't work out so we're back to turf."
That worked better as Missed the Cut finished fourth, missing second by a pair of noses.
Bob Baffert was experimenting, too, putting Azul Coast on the grass for only the second time after two straight runner-up finishes on the dirt. He faded from the lead to finish last of 11, beaten 11 lengths.