IRON MAN CAL, TEST SCORE BREEDERS’ CUP BOUND 

Very little matches the thrill of graded stakes, “Win and You’re In” races and Del Mar served up two such events Saturday: The G2 Pat O’Brien and the G2 Del Mar Handicap. Both provided plenty of drama leading up to the race and then a couple of exciting blanket finishes.

The Pat O’Brien was a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile to be run at Keeneland on October 31st. Iron Man Cal went straight to the lead and never gave it up, wiring the field and holding off the late surge of Moonlight and Big City Lights.

“I told Joel (Rosario) to break him like you’re going to come running,” trainer Phil D’Amato said afterward. “If you’re on the lead and no one wants it, go with it. Otherwise, sit second or third or fourth. He broke running and went with it.”

Iron Man Cal lost a shoe in the paddock prior to the race and delayed the start by about ten minutes.

“We had to put it back on,” D’Amato says of the shoe incident. “We got the job done and it worked out well.”

The son of Collected was runner-up in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar but recently D’Amato moved him to the dirt. In his first race on the new surface he finished third behind Journalism in the G2 San Diego. D’Amato shortened him up to seven furlongs in the Pat O’Brien.

“I think his style of running fits the dirt better and it’s worked out,” D’Amato claims. “He has steady speed and he doesn’t have to quicken as much on the dirt. When you’re on the grass you have to show more of a turn of foot.” 

D’Amato says Iron Man Cal came back in good order and will train up to the Breeders’ Cup.

“Probably, I think that’s the safest bet,” D’Amato insists. “Just keep him happy and healthy. He ran two races here so we’ll have him fresh and ready to run his best race at Keeneland.”

D’Amato arguably had bigger fish to fry in the second graded stakes of the day when he saddled Gold Phoenix in the G2 Del Mar Handicap, a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Turf. The Irish-bred was gunning for his fifth straight win in the ‘Cap’, something never done in the history of Del Mar and a true rarity in horse racing.

But the 8-year-old chestnut found himself at the back of a strung-out field and, as it turned out, was left with too much to do, finishing fourth. He saved all the ground throughout the 1 3/8 mile race and he made a run into contention on the turn. 

“He could of got a little bit cleaner trip but that’s grass racing,” D’Amato conceded afterward. “They really walked the dog early and when that happens everybody’s charging late. He (jockey Hector I. Berrios) took a chance to go up in there. It got a little tight but once he got through he battled and we just got outrun.”

Gold Phoenix’ future is very much up in the air at this stage.

“He came out of it good and we’ll live to fight another day,” D’Amato notes. “No plans as of yet. We’ll see. Possibly the Breeders’ Cup still or maybe just wait for the Del Mar fall meet.”

The winner of this year’s Del Mar Handicap, eastern invader Test Score, was walking the shedrow this morning looking like he could run again today. 

“He’s doing great,” Alice Clapham assistant to trainer Graham Motion states. “I’m very happy with him.”

The son of Lookin At Lucky sat mid pack through much of the race. He came charging late, hitting the wire with four other horses, winning by a neck over Atitlan. Asked how it felt being the villain to Gold Phoenix’ quest for an unprecedented five straight Del Mar Handicap wins, Clapham was all class.

“Sure, you’d love to see that happen,” Clapham says with a grin. “But it’s horse racing, right? He’s had a phenomenal career and I’m sure he’ll go on and win more races.”

Test Score will ship out of Del Mar Tuesday and head back to Motion’s home base at Fair Hill in Maryland. Motion says they’ll probably train up to the Breeders’ Cup.

“That wasn’t necessarily the reason why we brought him out there,” Motion explains. “Obviously the “Win and You’re In” is a good incentive and I think we will definitely consider it. The biggest thing for me was to answer the question of whether or not he could handle the distance, which he had never done before. So, no I wouldn’t run him again and I expect we will run (in the Breeders’ Cup) if he’s doing well.”

Motion has won all three of the races he’s entered at Del Mar this summer. He won the G2 Yellow Ribbon with Warming, the CTT & TOC with Vronti and now the Del Mar Handicap with Test Score. Over the years, he has shipped in 15 horses to win different stakes at Del Mar.

“I think we sent out some nice horses who were well suited for the spots,” Motion explains. “I’m so lucky to have Alice who can travel with them and honestly the Brookledge team do a great job getting them there. We had a layover in Memphis on these last two trips, so it’s getting comfortable with the system and having the confidence in the people that are doing it.”

STAKES DOMINATE CLOSING WEEKEND OF RACING AT DEL MAR

Last call at Del Mar next week. 

Closing weekend is almost upon us and the Racing Office has made sure the 87th summer meet will go out with a bang with an extended five-day race week and nine stakes races on tap. One on Friday, three on Saturday and Sunday and two more on Monday, the Labor Day holiday. 

The stakes action begins Friday with the $100,000 Generous Portion, a six-furlong test for Cal-bred juvenile fillies. Ten fillies have been entered in the race including the second through fifth place finishers in the CTBA Stakes on August 2. Free Closer won the CTBA by eight lengths but trainer Michael McCarthy chose to nominate his filly to the Debutante much to the delight of those planning to run in the Generous Portion.

Saturday’s stakes tripleheader is highlighted by the 76th running of the $300,000, G1 Del Mar Debutante. It’s another race for 2-year-old fillies but it’s seven furlongs and the stakes are much higher. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has won the Debutante a dozen times. This year he’s entered G3 Sorrento Stakes winner Holmby and Miss Monica.

Saturday’s stakes menu also includes the G3 Del Mar Juvenile Turf, a steppingstone to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Seventeen 2-year-olds have been nominated to the one-mile grass race: three by McCarthy, two by Baffert and trainer Jonathan Thomas is considering shipping in a colt for the race. 

The third stakes race on Saturday is the $100,000 Tranquility Lake. Fourteen fillies and mares have been nominated for the one-mile overnight contest on the main track. They include Amorita, winner of the $100,000 Daisycutter last month at Del Mar and Look Forward, winner of last year’s G2 Eight Belles at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day.

Three more stakes are on the Sunday card including the 79th running of the G1 Del Mar Futurity, a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland October 30. Once again Baffert comes locked and loaded for the race he’s won an amazing 19 times in the past. He’s considering Hughes, his G3 Best Pal winner and Domus. Del Mar’s leading trainer Doug O’Neill may bring back Phone Booth, runner-up to Hughes in the Best Pal, and trainer John Sadler has nominated Inshallah, a $2.1 million purchase by Flightline who won his debut by open lengths earlier this month.

Also on the Sunday stakes docket is the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf and the $125,000 Shared Belief, a one-mile event for 3-year-olds on the dirt. The 12 nominees include Desert Gate, last year’s Best Pal winner and runner-up in the 2025 Futurity. 

That brings us to Monday’s holiday card featuring the G2 John C. Mabee. Eighteen fillies and mares have been nominated for the race including three horses that have already won stakes races at Del Mar this meet: The G2 Yellow Ribbon winner Warming; the $100,000 Osunitas Stakes winner Baltic Fire, and the winner of the $150,000 Solana Beach Fibonaccis Ride. Toss in the possibility of Thought Process, winner of the G1 Gamely at Santa Anita, and you have a contentious bunch lining up for the mile and an eighth grass test.

The $100,000 I’m Smokin Stakes is also on the Monday card. It’s a six-furlong sprint on the dirt for 2-year-old Cal-breds. One of the 14 nominees is Net Par, a two-time winner at the meet including the $100,000 Graduation Stakes.

Entries for Saturday’s races will be drawn later today. Sunday’s races will be drawn on Wednesday and Monday’s card on Thursday.

BACKSIDE MEALS PROGRAM INTO ITS FOURTH YEAR AT DEL MAR

For the fourth year running, Del Mar is offering free meals to it’s hundreds of workers on the backside. Grooms, hot walkers, assistants, anyone with a CHRB card can go into the stable kitchen on the backside and get a meal on any race day.

The Del Mar Backstretch Complimentary Meal Program is served Wednesday through Sunday and can consist of anything from a sandwich to a chicken dinner.

“It’s going really well,” says Geoff Waddell, V. P. of facilities at Del Mar. “We had 521 people for dinner on Saturday (8-22). We serve close to 2,000 meals a week. We have a rotating menu. Sometimes it’s something simple like a cheeseburger, chips and a salad. Other times it’s Sinaloa Barbeque with white beans and macaroni salad. Grilled chicken breasts with mashed potatoes and corn. We even do a fish dish once a week.”

The idea is to make sure the folks working the backside, who often put in long hours taking care of the horses, are taken care of themselves. 

“Santa Anita would do a Sunday meal,” Waddell explains. “We got the idea from there. My predecessor, Sue Walls, and Josh Rubinstein created this program based off what they had seen up there. They were like ‘That’s nice but imagine if we did it every day we’re racing?’”

On average the Del Mar Backstretch Complimentary Meal Program serves about 375 meals a day, around 300 on a slow night, a little over 500 on a busy evening. The food is provided by Grupo Cayena. They’ve been working with Del Mar for the past couple of years.

“He had his taco truck here for an event,” Waddell states. “We got talking to the guy and it worked out really well for us. They have a great crew and get along with everyone on the backside.”

Del Mar is believed to be the only racetrack in the country that provides this popular service to its backside workers. It certainly beats a bag of chips and a coke from the convenience store across the street, which many lived on prior to the program. It also provides a social environment for those who decide to sit down and enjoy their meal in the dining room. 

“We’ve added a few new menu items,” Waddell says of the changes made this year, “and we’ve changed the tablecloths. We try to keep it fresh so they’re not eating the same items each week, but they always get the full meal with the good sides and salad.”

COOLING OUT:  A day of firsts at Del Mar Saturday as jockey Francisco Monroy and trainer Alberto Rubalcava teamed up on their first victories ever at Del Mar. Monroy, a regular rider on the Northern California circuit from 2016 through 2024, booted home Proof He Goes in Race 5…Veteran trainer Gary Stute notched his first win at Del Mar since 2023 when Manee scored at 19-1 in Race 6…A scary moment at the start of Saturday’s first race when Del Mar’s leading jockey Joel Rosario was unseated at the break. He appeared to land hard but got right up and after a check at First Aid he was back on his mount in the second race, Carolina Legacy, and won…No one hit the Pick Six Saturday so there will be a two-day carryover of $192,078…Antonio Fresu had three winners Saturday. He now sits in third place in the jockey standings with 23 victories, six behind Juan Hernandez in second place…Temperatures peaked at 82 degrees late Saturday afternoon, warm by Del Mar standards. The weather forecast promises a gradual break in the heat through next week…Notable works on Sunday: Dirt – Amorita (4f, :46.60); Formidable Man (4f, :47.60); Maximum Bourbon (4f, :49.60); Ocean Bear (4f, :47.00); Hey Jessie (5f, 1:00.40); Hughes (5f, 1:01.40), and Mr. A.P. (6f, 1:13.00). Turf – Whiskey Decision (4f, :47.80); Public Assembly (5f, 1:04.20), and Thought Process (5f, 1:00.80). 210 horses put in official works at Del Mar on Sunday; 193 on the main track, 17 on the turf.