Hong Kong Harry Aims for Seabiscuit Repeat

Hong Kong Harry  and Astronomer , the top two in September's City of Hope Mile Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park, meet again Nov. 25 in the Seabiscuit Handicap (G2T) at Del Mar. 

Even though it has only been eight weeks, the circumstances are much different from when they finished a neck apart, with Hong Kong Harry getting up in the final jumps over Astronomer, who had led for the first 5,270 feet of the mile.  

For starters, Hong Kong Harry will have to carry 125 pounds, four more than Astronomer or any of the others in an eight-horse field going 1 1/16 miles on turf. In the City of Hope the winner carried 124 and Astronomer, having never won a graded stakes, tacked 122. If the two-pound difference had been four pounds, could the up-and-comer have held off the veteran for just a few more strides?  

Hong Kong Harry won this race last year, capping a season that saw him win five races, including three graded stakes, from six starts after arriving in the United States. The Irish-bred son of Es Que Love  had proven to be a solid handicapper in England but had never competed in let alone won a stakes race before joining Phil D'Amato's barn. 

D'Amato has two other entrants in Easter , who joined the barn after shipping west to win a restricted stakes race last month for previous trainer Graham Motion, and Balnikhov , a multiple graded stakes winner who was second in the Eddie Read Stakes (G2T) at Del Mar in July. 

Other contenders include Sumter , a very good miler who has yet to break through at the graded stakes level for trainer Richard Mandella; Cabo Spirit , winless since the 2022 Twilight Derby (G2T) at Santa Anita more than a year ago; and Front Run the Fed , the 7-year-old known primarily as a turf sprinter.

The Seabiscuit is part of Del Mar's holiday weekend Turf Festival, with eight races worth $1.4 million 

What they Said

D'Amato on Hong Kong Harry: "He's coming off of a nice win. He's very consistent. He's won here in the past. He's probably the main contender of the three with (my) other two not too far behind."

D'Amato on Hong Kong Harry's preparations: "He is of one of those horses in the morning he does what he needs to do so you never know exactly how cranked he is but he knows when it is showtime."

D'Amato on Easter: "The owners decided to keep him in California. They left him with me with this race in mind. Hopefully he’s a horse that keeps improving in graded stakes company."

D'Amato on Balnikhov: "He really loves this turf course. He loves to run fresh and he’s got all those things going for him in this race."