D'Amato quartet not a lock in strong edition of the Eddie Read

Combined, Balnikhov, Count Again, Gold Phoenix, and Masteroffoxhounds give trainer Phil D’Amato a remarkably deep team of contenders in Sunday’s Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar.

They are all multiple graded stakes winners capable of winning the $250,000 Read, but they all lost their last starts, or have not raced in more than a year. The Read, run at 1 1/8 miles on turf, is not a public scrimmage for Team D’Amato. There are five other runners in the race, several capable of winning.

The Read Stakes is the ninth race on an 11-race program that includes a mandatory payout in the 20-cent jackpot pick six. The bet covers the sixth through 11th races and is expected to draw a multi-million dollar pool.

D’Amato expressed confidence in his team Friday, but admits there are vulnerabilities.

Gold Phoenix began his 2023 season with an upset win in the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf at Santa Anita in March and has since finished fourth in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at 1 1/4 miles in April and seventh in a tough running of the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on May 29.

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“When he does show up he can compete with the best,” D’Amato said. “When he doesn’t, he runs very average. The mile and an eighth is probably his sweet spot rather than a mile.”

Balnikhov won the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate Fields for his third stakes victory, but was later eighth after a slow start in the Shoemaker Mile. Balnikhov won the Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf last July at Del Mar.

“He’s a horse that favors the Del Mar turf course,” D’Amato said. “He’s never run a great race at Santa Anita. He ran great at Keeneland, Golden Gate, and Del Mar. He’s coming into a turf course that he appreciates.”

Count Again won the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile in May 2022 in his most recent start. Now 8, Count Again was third in the 2021 Read. D’Amato said Friday that the Read is a prep race for the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on turf Sept. 2 for Count Again.

“We need to start him somewhere,” he said. “When he puts his late kick in, he’s one to be reckoned with.”

The dangerous member of the team may be Masteroffoxhounds, who is winless in five starts since the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at 1 1/4 miles last October at Santa Anita. Fifth in the 2022 Read, Masteroffoxhounds has not raced since he finished fifth in the Whittingham Stakes in April.

Masteroffoxhounds will not be fitted with blinkers, which he wore in losses in his last two starts. The last time he raced without the equipment, Masteroffoxhounds finished a game second in the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita in February.

“I toyed with blinkers on,” D’Amato said. “I think his best asset is his tactical speed. I think he’ll be on or near the lead. They can come catch him.”

Masteroffoxhounds may face pressure from I’mgonnabesomebody, a three-time stakes winner at Golden Gate Fields in the last year.

A quick pace will help the other four starters.

Mackinnon, a two-time stakes winner in California as a 2-year-old in 2021, will have his first start in the state since a sixth-place finish in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby last September. This will be the 2023 stakes debut for Handy Dandy, winner of a restricted stakes at mile on turf at Del Mar last November.

Dicey Mo Chara, who won the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita in December; and Cabo Spirit, winner of the Grade 2 La Jolla Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar last August, can win with their best races.

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