Avenue de France, Going Global due for rematch in Goldikova Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - Avenue de France and Going Global were first and second in the Grade 2 John Mabee Stakes at Del Mar on Sept. 10. Their rematch in the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday should be one of the highlights of a day with seven stakes.

Both Avenue de France, trained by Leonard Powell, and Going Global, trained by Phil D’Amato, were held out of the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita on Oct. 8 in favor of the $200,000 Goldikova Stakes at a mile on turf.

Powell said on Sunday that the deciding factor to wait for the Goldikova was to give Avenue de France more time between starts after a busy Del Mar summer campaign.

“She ran three times at Del Mar,” he said.

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Avenue de France would not have won the Rodeo Drive Stakes, he said, considering the D’Amato-trained Going to Vegas led throughout.

“The way the race set up, I wouldn’t have beaten Going to Vegas on the lead,” he said. “I might have hit the board.”

Powell plans to have three stakes runners on Saturday, including Freedom Flyer in the Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes for fillies and mares at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course and Air Force Red in the Lure Stakes at a mile on turf.

“It’s going to be my little Breeders’ Cup,” he said.

D’Amato said on Sunday that he may have two other runners in the Goldikova – Burgoo Alley, who was fifth in the Mabee, and Counterparty Risk, who was second in the restricted Swingtime Stakes at a mile on turf on Oct. 9.

D’Amato won the Swingtime Stakes with Hamwood Flier, who is a candidate for the restricted Kathryn Crosby Stakes at a mile on turf for fillies and mares at Del Mar.

Counterparty Risk, a 5-year-old Irish-bred mare by the Galileo stallion Australia, has won 3 of 13 starts and $287,230. A Grade 3 winner at Tampa Bay Downs in 2021, Counterparty Risk is scheduled to be sold at the Keeneland November Sale next month. She was purchased by current owners, the Heider Family Trust, for $400,000 at the same auction in 2021.

D’Amato does not have a starter in Saturday’s Grade 2 Twilight Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf for 3-year-olds. Balnikhov, winner of the Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar in July and fourth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 3, is scheduled to start in the Grade 3 Bryan Station Stakes, a $300,000 race at a mile at Keeneland on Saturday.

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