gold phoenix He caught up after being nicely off the tempo, cornered pacesetter Fracieest within the remaining furlong, and gained Saturday’s Grade 3 race by three-quarters of a size, with a prize of $100,000. San Luis Rey Stakes And Santa Anita.
Hector Berrios led the 8-year-old Irish gelding to victory for coach Phil D’Amato within the 1 1/2-mile downhill turf stakes, a contest between eight older horses on a agency course. Berrios will probably be using Gold Phoenix for the primary time since Eddie Reed’s Grade 2 win at Del Mar in 2023.
“I knew there wasn’t lots of velocity within the race, so I attempted to get shut,” Berrios mentioned. “The horse was very comfy. I waited and waited and I known as out to him on the final nook and he responded very nicely. I moved him exterior and he mentioned bye-bye.”
Fracieest, ridden by jockey Armando Ayuso and educated by Leonard Powell, set the tempo from inside with occasions of 24.84 and 49.56 seconds. Within the early phases, Metropolis Exile was the closest chaser within the two-horse discipline, with Watsonville following in third place.
The Gold Phoenix settled in the back of the sector all through the opening interval, shifting inside for the primary time by means of the stretch and returning for 2 passes on the clubhouse flip. He inched nearer on the backstretch, taking intention on the entrance pack heading residence from the skin, placing Fracieest within the lead going into the ultimate furlong, and pulling away within the closing phases.
Flashiest held a slight benefit at pole eight earlier than giving method. Ayuso misplaced his crop with one-sixteenth of a mile to go, however the lead horse continued to combat for second place with a large lead over his followers.
Mondego, ridden by Michael McCarthy-trained jockey Emisael Jaramillo, raced three out on the far flip and competed within the lane, however lacked the ultimate kick and was unable to succeed in the highest pair. He got here in third place, 1 1/4 lengths behind Frasiest.
The ticket favourite, Really High quality, educated by Jonathan Thomas, sat slowly early and steered towards the rail earlier than making three- and four-wide strikes into the far flip. He continued down the lane, however was solely capable of run one other 3 1/4 lengths into fourth place. Balnikov, Residing Life, Metropolis Exile and Watsonville accomplished the end.
Gold Phoenix accomplished the mile and a half in 2:26.79 and paid $8.40, $4.20, and $3.20. Flashiest returned $9.80 and $5.40. Mondego paid a screening charge of $4.60.
“I believe Hector ran a lovely race,” D’Amato mentioned. “He made the strikes on the proper occasions, did not let it cease, simply stored the momentum going. It was simply lovely. I suppose he was just a little rusty coming off the bench final time and did not fairly get issues going the best way he needed, however right now was an incredible journey and run.”
Gold Phoenix completed seventh in final month’s San Marcos Stakes (G3), his first begin in additional than three months. This victory prolonged his streak of profitable at the very least one graded stakes to 5 consecutive years.
“He’s eight years outdated and he’s nonetheless going,” mentioned Billy Koch of Little Crimson Feather Racing. “That is one of many issues you’ll be able to’t describe in phrases. He simply all the time offers his finest.”
Gold Phoenix, owned by Agave Racing Stables, Little Crimson Feather Racing, Sterling Stables and Marcia Naifai, completed 31:11-3-5 and earned greater than $2.36 million.
