D'Amato considering two spots for Fault

ARCADIA, Calif. – Fault extended her winning streak to three races in Sunday’s Grade 3 Adoration Stakes for fillies and mares at Santa Anita.

After Sunday’s race, trainer Phil D’Amato said two Grade 1 races for fillies and mares are being considered for her next start – the $400,000 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita on June 2 or the $750,000 Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park on June 9.

The Beholder Mile, in particular, is expected to draw a strong field, including Paradise Woods, Selcourt and Unique Bella. Paradise Woods is a two-time Grade 1 winner. Selcourt won the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes in March for her third consecutive stakes win. Unique Bella was the champion female sprinter of 2017. Timing could be part of the final call, D’Amato said.

“I think we’ll see how she comes out of it,” D’Amato said. “Do I need an extra week or do I like one race more than another?”

Owned by Agave Racing Stable and the Little Red Feather partnership, Fault is unbeaten in three starts this year. She won the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes at a mile on turf in her first start for D’Amato in February and followed with a win by 6 1/2 lengths in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Invitational at 1 1/8 miles on dirt on March 17.