Balnikhov © Benoit Photo

From last to first, millionaire, Irish-bred Balnikhov rolled to a 2 ¼ length victory in Sunday’s $100,000 Allowance/Claiming feature at a marathon 1 3/8 miles on the Del Mar turf. Reunited with by Umberto Rispoli for trainer Phil D’Amato, Balnikhov stopped the clock in 2:16.14.

With favored Spycatcher (7-5) and Abel Lezcano setting the pace throughout the two turns, Rispoli had Balnikhov sat comfortably last about five lengths off the leader, in the turn for home, swung out five wide to blow by the leader at the eighth pole. Flashiest (15-1) and Armando Ayuso who sat closer to the pacesetter got caught in close quarters between Reiquist (18-1) with Kazushi Kimura and Spycatcher to take second. After a stewards review, initial third place finisher Spycatcher, was disqualified and placed fourth for drifting out and knocking Flashiest into Reiquist, causing Reiquist a chance at a better placing.

Balnikhov was winless in his previous nine races after a 1 ½ length victory in the Grade 3 Dinner Party Stakes at Pimlico on May 18, 2024. Umberto Rispoli and Balnikhov previously teamed to win the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate Fields in 2023. 

With the victory the six-year-old Adaay gelding improved his record to 37-9-6-6 with $1,168,893 in earnings for Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC and Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC.

Balnikhov returned $6.20, $4.60, $3.40. Trained by Leonard Powell, Flashiest paid $8.20, $5.00, Reiquist trained by Tim Yakteen paid $5.40 to show. 

Complete fractions on the race were 25.66, 50.01, 1:15.84, 1:40.90, 2:04.84 and final time of 2:16.14.

Live racing resumes on Friday with an eight-race card, first post is 12:30 p.m.