D'Amato cracks $10 million mark; has a number of returnees for 2023

A handful of graded stakes winners that have contributed to trainer Phil D’Amato’s first $10 million season have earned 30-day vacations before they return to campaign next year.

Desert Dawn, Gold Phoenix, Comanche Country, and Leggs Galore will be turned out for a month. If they pick up next year where they left off, 2023 could be another banner season for D’Amato, whose $10,086,190 purse earnings ranks eighth in the country and is the highest U.S. purse total among California trainers.

Desert Dawn will enter 2023 as the top older dirt female in California. This year, she won the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks, and finished third in the Kentucky Oaks and second in the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar. Hirsch winner Blue Stripe was sold for $4 million after her runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. She is expected to be bred.

One reason for Desert Dawn’s late season vacation is a lack of late season opportunities for California fillies and mares on dirt. The Grade 3 Bayakoa Stakes, typically run at Los Alamitos in December, is not being offered this year.

Desert Dawn “is doing great, but where do I run her?” D’Amato said. The first 2023 objective will be the Grade1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita on March 11.

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“I’ll try to get a prep into her, run her in the Beholder second off the bench, and then try to map out a plan to get her to the Breeders’ Cup,” D’Amato said.

Gold Phoenix made his U.S. debut in January having won his only start in Ireland. He proceeded to emerge as a top grass horse in California winning two races and $364,480 from nine starts, including a victory in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap. He finished 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

“He’s been good to us this year, and will be on the same van to the farm for a little 30-day breather and come back in and point for a campaign next year,” D’Amato said.

The 2-year-old turf filly Comanche Country won her first three U.S. starts, including the Grade 3 Surfer Girl at Santa Anita before finishing seventh in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf.

“We’ll bring her back and point her for those nice 3-year-old races next year,” D’Amato said.

Leggs Galore who won the Grade 2 Buena Vista in March and finished her 5-year-old campaign with a career total of nine wins and $694,548 from 19 starts. She was a “reserve not achieved” at the Fasig-Tipton sale last weekend and could aim for the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint on Jan. 7 at Santa Anita.

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