D'Amato holds strong pair in turf sprint
A well-regarded European and his frustrating stablemate meet Thursday at Del Mar in the featured sixth race, an allowance turf sprint with principals that are tough to separate.
Even trainer Phil D’Amato is reluctant to choose between newcomer Turn On the Jets and the reliably familiar Gregory’s Pride, whose exasperating record since a maiden win last summer includes six consecutive in-the-money finishes at the first allowance level.
“He’s had some bad beats,” D’Amato said regarding Gregory’s Pride. “But I don’t think any were worse than the last one. I was walking into the winner’s circle. He had about as bad a beat as you can get.”
To most everyone watching the July 22 turf sprint, Gregory’s Pride appeared to collar front-runner Fast Buck. But the latter got a favorable head bob and won by a nose over Gregory’s Pride. It was the first start in five months for Gregory’s Pride, who picked up right where he left off – the runner-up finish was his third straight. Gregory’s Pride has one win, three seconds, and five thirds from 10 starts. The comeback did him well.
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“He’s come back excellent and fired away with two really nice drills,” D’Amato said. “He should be ready to go.”
Gregory’s Pride will be ridden again by Umberto Rispoli, who has teamed with D’Amato to win 6 of 15 on turf this meet.
Others in the field include Time to Party, Party Game, Mac Daddy Too, I’ll Stand Taller, and Raging Waters. The main rival for likely favorite Gregory’s Pride is his D’Amato-trained stablemate.
Turn On the Jets was purchased privately at the end of his 2-year-old season in Ireland, partly based on an impressive allowance win and partly on pedigree. Turn On the Jets is by the same sire as D’Amato’s female turf star Going Global.
“Being by Mehmas made him attractive pedigree-wise and talent-wise,” D’Amato said.
The handicapping dilemma is clear – does Turn On the Jets need a prep race? “
“Maybe, maybe not,” D’Amato said. “He’s a class horse, he did win at five furlongs the last time he ran, and I did breeze him out of the gate to kind of sharpen him up to American standards.”
Juan Hernandez rides Turn On the Jets, who won 1 of 4 last year.
Time to Party misfired as second betting choice last out, finishing 10th behind runner-up Gregory’s Pride. Peter Miller trains Time to Party, whose runner-up two back in a similar race gives him a look. Time to Party and Mac Daddy Too are the main pacesetters.
In addition to the allowance turf sprint, the Thursday program includes an interesting race for 2-year-olds. Race 5 is a $150,000 maiden-claiming sprint that marks a major class drop for first-time gelding Nak Nak Bolt, seventh last out in a maiden special weight at Churchill Downs. The winner was Damon’s Mound, who won the Grade 2 Saratoga Special; three others from the Churchill race won maiden special weights next out.