D'Amato likes what he sees in Balnikhov workout
Balnikhov, who has had mixed results in his first three starts in the United States in stakes for 3-year-olds on turf, will be trainer Phil D’Amato’s leading hope for the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes at a mile on turf at Del Mar on July 22.
Balnikhov will have a new rider in the Oceanside. D’Amato said on Friday that the Irish-bred gelding will be ridden for the first time by Umberto Rispoli.
On Friday at Santa Anita, Balnikhov worked a half-mile in 49.60 seconds, his first workout since a disappointing fourth as the 3-5 favorite in the Cinema Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita on June 4.
“I saw a horse with a lot of energy,” D’Amato said. “I took the blinkers off of him.”
Owned by the partnership of Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables, and Old Bones Racing Stable, Balnikhov was second by a nose in the Singletary Stakes at a mile in his American debut on April 2, and second by 1 1/4 lengths in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs on May 7.
In the Cinema, Balnikhov was third by a length in early stretch, but faded to finish 2 3/4 lengths behind War At Sea.
“I don’t think distance was an issue,” D’Amato said. “I think I ran a horse that bounced off a huge performance at Churchill Downs.”
The Oceanside, which typically draws a large field, is restricted to non-winners of a first-place purse of $50,000 in a stakes at a mile or more this year. D’Amato is hopeful that Balnikhov can record his first stakes win.
“I think he’ll run his race,” D’Amato said. “I wanted to give him extra time to recover from all that shipping and a couple of races. He seems fresh and happy.”
D’Amato will have stakes runners in several leading turf races early in the Del Mar meeting, which begins on July 22.
Among them is Hong Kong Harry, who won his stakes debut in the Grade 3 American Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on June 19. He is expected to run in the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on July 31.
Going Global, a seven-time stakes winner since early 2021, is a candidate for the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 13.