Breeders' Cup Turf: D'Amato follows familiar path with Red King
The pattern has become familiar: Win the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap in August, earn a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf, and take a longshot’s chance against many of the world’s best grass runners a few months later.
California trainer Phil D’Amato has won the Del Mar Handicap in six of the last seven years. Four of those winners have started in the BC Turf, but without success. The best results were ninth-place finishes by Big John B in 2014 and Acclimate last year when the race was run at Santa Anita.
This year, D’Amato will start Red King in the BC Turf at 1 1/2 miles on Nov. 7 at Keeneland. Red King will be a longshot in a field led by two runners trained in Ireland by Aidan O’Brien – Magical and Mogul – and the domestic contenders Channel Maker, who won the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on Oct. 3 at Belmont Park, and United, who was second in the 2019 BC Turf and second in the Del Mar Handicap behind Red King on Aug. 22.
Magical, second in the 2018 BC Turf at Churchill Downs, was a troubled third in the Group 1 Champion Stakes on Oct. 17 at Ascot. Mogul has not raced since a win in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp Racecourse on Sept. 13 in France. He was scratched from the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 4 at Longchamp out of concern over feed contamination.
The most significant difference this year compared to recent runnings of the BC Turf is the potential field size. There were 11 horses pre-entered in the BC Turf, including Mean Mary and Mehdaayih, who have first preference in the BC Filly and Mare Turf.
If those 4-year-old fillies do not run in the BC Turf, the race will have its smallest field since the O’Brien-trained St Nicholas Abbey beat eight rivals at Churchill Downs in 2011. Last year, Bricks and Mortar, the eventual Horse of the Year, was part of a field of 13 in the BC Turf.
Realistically, a top-three finish by Red King would be an outstanding result.
“We have a shot for a giant purse, and we’ll try to make the most of it,” D’Amato said.
Owned by Little Red Feather Racing partnership, Gordon Jacobsen, and Phil Belmonte, Red King has won his last three starts, including the Group 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at about 1 3/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita in June and the Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles by a head over United.
Red King, claimed for $35,000 in February 2019, has not started since the Del Mar Handicap and has been based at Keeneland this month in an effort to acclimate to the turf course. Jockey Umberto Rispoli, who moved to California from Hong Kong last December, will have the mount for the fourth consecutive race.
“I love how Rispoli gets along with him and knows how to maximize his ability,” D’Amato said. “I’m hoping for a race with a little race shape to it. He’ll come from off the pace. A little speed will help the cause.”