D'Amato formulates plans for Gold Phoenix, other turf stars
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Gold Phoenix began his 2023 season with an upset win in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf at Santa Anita on March 4, at a distance that seemed shorter than his best trip.
For his second start of the year, Gold Phoenix will be back in longer races, and is likely to run in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf, trainer Phil D’Amato said on Wednesday.
Gold Phoenix won the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap last September and was 10th of 13 in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland in November.
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He worked a half-mile on Santa Anita’s infield dirt training track in 47.80 seconds on Monday. D’Amato said Gold Phoenix will have two more works before the $200,000 Whittingham.
“I liked what I saw, breeze-wise,” D’Amato said. “He showed me good energy. I want the horse to be ready to be run at this best.”
Gold Phoenix, who races for the Little Red Feather Racing syndicate, Sterling Stables and Marsha Naify, has won 4 of 11 starts and earned $675,257.
D’Amato’s powerful turf stable will spread across California, and perhaps into other states later this spring.
Earls Rock, unraced since his second stakes win in the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf on Feb. 4, will be a leading contender in the Grade 3 American Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on April 2.
“He’s ultra-sharp,” D’Amato said.
Balnikhov, a two-time stakes winner in 2022 who was seventh in the Kilroe Mile in his first start this year, may run in the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile on turf at Golden Gate Fields on April 29.
“I think he’ll like that turf course,” D’Amato said. “He runs well fresh.”
D’Amato has yet to finalize plans for Hong Kong Harry, a three-time stakes winner in 2022 who was fourth by 1 1/4 lengths as the even-money favorite in the Kilroe. Hong Kong Harry, who worked a half-mile in 49.40 on the training track on Monday, will be considered for the San Francisco Mile and for races in Kentucky.
“I kind of want to see where I stand with him after the next drill,” D’Amato said. “How soon back do I want to wheel him back?
“I want to train him with some good weather to gauge where I’m at with him.”
While those runners are preparing for full seasons, the 6-year-old mare Leggs Galore will have her final start in the Grade 2 Monrovia Stakes for fillies and mares on the hillside turf course on April 8.
A six-time stakes winner, all for owner and breeder Jack Sims, Leggs Galore is scheduled to be bred to leading stallion Into Mischief this spring, D’Amato said.
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