Balnikhov comes from last to first to win San Francisco Mile

The Phil D’Amato-trained Balnikhov shipped to Golden Gate Fields from Southern California and made the trip well worth it.

Sitting last in the first half of the feature race of the day, the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile for 3-year-olds and up at one mile on turf, the 4-year-old European stallion Adaay sat at the rear of the field for the first three quarters of the race, switched outside for the final stretch drive, passed the entire field, took the lead at the sixteenth pole and held off a late challenge from runner up finisher Rio King for a narrow nose victory.

Balnikhov, sent off as the favorite at 7-5 odds, paid $4.80 to win, $3.80 to place and $3.20 to show. Rio King, a 50-1 long shot who ran the race of his career in defeat, paid $26.40 to place and $17.00 to show. Il Bellator, another 50-1 price horse who was coming off about an eight-month layoff, rounded out the trifecta and paid $14.80 to show. Dicey Mo Chara finished fourth followed by Flavius, Lamplighter Jack, Tarantino, Tesoro and Bob and Jackie.

Southern California-based jockey Umberto Rispoli, aboard Balnikhov, had a big day at Golden Gate. He won four races on the afternoon, with three of those victories coming in stakes races. Earlier on the card, Rispoli won the California Oaks for 3-year-old fillies aboard Lily Poo and the Camilla Urso for filly and mare turf sprinters with Alice Marble.

With the San Francisco Mile victory, Balnikhov gave trainer Phil D’Amato his second win on the Saturday card. D’Amato also won the Camilla with Alice Marble. Balnikhov, owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables and Old Bones Racing, was bred in Ireland by T. de La Heronniere and Gestut Zur Kuste AG. Balnikhov earned $150,000 for the 'Mile win and improved his career earnings to $588,843. Balnikhov now has a record of 17: 6-4-2.