Easy as 1-2-3-4 for Phil D’Amato in Del Mar's Read
Before Sunday’s Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar, trainer Phillip D’Amato was asked why he would run four of his horses in the nine-horse field.
“That’s where they all fit,” replied D’Amato.
Turns out a perfect fit.
Led by Gold Phoenix, D’Amato’s quartet ran a perfect 1-2-3-4 in the 11/8-mile turf test for older horses.
Officially, the race finished Gold Phoenix, Balnikhov, Masteroffoxhounds and Count Again. The only surprise was that the 2-1 favorite ran fourth.
“I’m proud of them all,” said D’Amato afterwards. “As a trainer, a finish like this is what you dream about. I think we’ve come in 1-2-3. But I don’t ever recall coming in 1-2-3-4.
“I love this race, the Eddie Read. It’s been very good to me over the years.”
A boxed superfecta wager of $1 would have returned $520.90 for every $24 bet.
Sunday marked the fourth time that a D’Amato horse has won the Eddie Read. He scored previously with Bowies Hero (2019), Hunt (2017) and Midnight Storm (2016).
“We’ve won the Read with some very nice horses,” D’Amato continued. “It’s special to win it again.”
The Eddie Read carried a total purse of $252,000. D’Amato’s quartet walked away with all but $7,000 of that.
Gold Phoenix, with jockey Hector Berrios up for his third win of the day, claimed $150,000 of the total. Runner-up Balnikhov (Antonio Fresu) earned $50,000. Masteroffoxhounds (Edwin Maldonado) won $30,000. And Count Again (Umberto Rispoli) pocketed $15,000.
After Mackinnon got out of the gate first, a D’Amato horse led at every pole — Masteroffoxhounds leading all the way into the stretch when the 6-year-old son of War Front was passed by Gold Phoenix and Balnikhov.
“I took my time,” said Berrios, who also won Saturday’s Grade I Bing Crosby Stakes with The Chosen Vron. “I knew I had a lot of horse. As it turned out, I got the perfect trip. I could tell the pace was slow. But that was OK. I waited and waited and when I asked, boom! He was a runner.”
“When I saw those early fractions, it explained why Gold Phoenix was closer in the middle of the race,” said D’Amato. “Hector knew when to make his move. He’s riding really well right now. You could see that from the great ride he gave Gold Phoenix.”
The Irish-bred Gold Phoenix was never farther back than fifth while saving ground along the rail. He finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Balnikhov, who was a half length in front of Masteroffoxhounds. Count Again was another length back then it was 1½ lengths to the leader of the non-D’Amato division … Cabo Spirit.
“All four of these horses were training very well coming up to this race,” said D’Amato. “You train them all the same way the best you possibly can and whoever gets the best trip wins.”
Gold Phoenix and Balnikhov are both Irish-bred members of D’Amato’s international stable. Gold Phoenix paid $11 to win.
Notable
• The reigning co-champion trainer of Del Mar’s summer meeting (he won the fall meeting), D’Amato moved to the top of 2023 standings with two wins Sunday. Berrios, meanwhile, scored six wins the last two days to move into the jockey lead.
• Sunday’s win in the Eddie Read gives the 47-year-old D’Amato 47 stakes victories at Del Mar. Both he and Berrios have three stakes wins this meeting — also sharing the Oceanside Stakes on opening day with Conclude.
• Racing resumes Thursday at 2 p.m.
