Count Again surges to win Seabiscuit Handicap

DEL MAR, Calif. – It looks like trainer Phil D’Amato has picked up a couple of nice new prospects to take into the next year in the older turf division in Southern California.

On Friday, he sent out Say the Word for an unlucky, fast-finishing third in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup, and he went far better Saturday when Count Again displayed a terrific turn of foot to run down Flavius and take the Grade 2, $203,500 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar.

Count Again, under Juan Hernandez, was in front of only one horse midway through the race. He was able to avoid traffic trouble on the far turn and swing around horses, was taken to the middle of the track for the stretch run, and closed furiously. He passed the finish line three-quarters of a length in front of Flavius, then galloped out with authority.

Flavius was second, three-quarters of a length in front of third-place Next Shares, with 2-1 favorite Anothertwistafate a length farther back in fourth.

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Bowies Hero, also trained by D’Amato, was fifth and was followed, in order, by Spirit Animal, Majestic Eagle, Blitzkrieg, Imperador, My Boy Jack, Camino Del Paraiso, and One Bad Boy, who stopped badly and was eased, but walked off the course under his own power.

Count Again ($18.80) covered 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:40.84.

Say the Word and Count Again – both 5-year-old geldings -- were owned by Canada-based Sam-Son Farm, which is dispersing. Mark Martinez of Agave Racing bought into both horses privately and sent them to D’Amato, with them arriving here earlier this month. Both are now owned by Agave and Sam-Son.

Count Again worked three times on the local turf course, finishing the series with a five-furlong drill last Sunday in 59.60 that equaled the best of 15 at the distance.

D’Amato said he told Hernandez to “save all the ground and come with a run.”

“I thought he’d come running late,” D’Amato said. “Hoped the race would set up for him.”

Count Again was making only the eighth start of his career, which began belatedly in August of his 4-year-old year. This was his fourth win. He earned $120,000 to bring his career bankroll to $271,165.

Count Again won the Grade 3 Singspiel at Woodbine in September, beating Say the Word, then was fourth last month in the Grade 1 Northern Dancer, which Say the Word won.

The Northern Dancer is at 1 1/2 miles. D’Amato said the cutback in distance helped.

“He ran a mile and a half the other day and didn’t like that scenario,” he said. “A mile and a sixteenth out of the chute at Del Mar is like a mile and an eighth, with the extra turn. It suits his style. He should be good anywhere from a mile and a sixteenth to a mile and a quarter.”

D’Amato said both Say the Word and Count Again were in terrific shape when they arrived.

“Gail Cox,” he said, referring to the previous trainer, “delivered these horses in excellent condition.

“Fortunate to have a couple of nice prospects,” he said.