After a win in the Gamely, Macadamia might be on Breeders' Cup trail

A portion of the $240,000 Macadamia earned for winning Monday’s Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita may finance her nomination to the Breeders’ Cup program this summer.

A 5-year-old Brazilian-bred mare, Macadamia was not nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program as a foal. Her supplemental nomination fee, which would make her Breeders’ Cup-eligible for the rest of her career, is $25,000, if paid by July 15.

Though expensive, the fee may be worth the investment considering the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf will be run at Santa Anita on Nov. 4.

“If we decide to go that route, we would have to pay,” trainer Phil D’Amato said earlier this week. “The owners are willing to do that, if we choose.”

Owned by R Unicorn Stable, Macadamia won her first American Grade 1 debut in the $401,000 Gamely Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf, closing from sixth of seven to win by a length in a 6-1 upset.

A winner of 5 of 13 starts, including two Group 1 races on turf in Brazil, Macadamia has won three of her last four starts in the United States, including the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes at a mile on turf on April 30 at Santa Anita.

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“She’s a filly that has been on the improve in her last three races,” D’Amato said. “I liked her professional (style) in the Gamely. Hopefully she can keep going and we can entertain the Breeders’ Cup.”

D’Amato said Macadamia may have only one start at the Del Mar summer meeting, with the Grade 2 John R. Mabee Stakes on Sept. 9 as a primary target. The $200,000 Mabee Stakes is run at 1 1/8 miles on turf for fillies and mares and is preferred over the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Stakes at 1 1/6 miles for fillies and mares on Aug. 12.

“I think I would run, give her a little extra time and run her in the Mabee,” D’Amato said.

D’Amato had three runners in Monday’s Grade 1 Shoemaker Stakes and his best result with 8-5 favorite Hong Kong Harry who finished third by 1 1/2 lengths to race winner Exaulted.

A three-time graded stakes winner in 2022, including the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile last September, Hong Kong Harry is winless in three starts this year, including a second in the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on May 6.

The loss in the $503,000 Shoemaker Mile will lead to a three-week vacation this month for Hong Kong Harry at a local farm, D’Amato said.

“He’s going to come back and defend his title in the Del Mar Mile,” D’Amato said. “I’ve got it mapped out. He’ll get three weeks off, six or seven works, and the Del Mar Mile.”

The Grade 2 Del Mar Mile will be run on Sept. 2.

Hong Kong Harry closed from ninth in the final quarter-mile to be closest to the front at the finish of the Shoemaker Mile. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Hong Kong Harry raced in traffic on the turn before closing through the final furlong.

Prat “would have liked to have advanced on the backstretch, but he was stuck on the inside in the middle of the turn,” D’Amato said. “Going a mile, he was a little too far back.”

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