D'Amato stable looms large in opening-week stakes

A potential odds-on favorite and a gaggle from the deepest turf stable in California are among the nominees to opening-week stakes at Del Mar, where four of the five stakes July 22-24 are on grass. Nominations that closed Thursday include one of the country’s top turf milers in Smooth Like Strait, and 19 turf specialists trained by Phil D’Amato.

Del Mar opens July 22 with the traditional opening-day feature – the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf. Nominees include D’Amato-trained early favorite Balnikhov and Doug O’Neill-trained stakes winner Mackinnon. Among the 26 nominees are Boise, Royal ’n Rando and St Anthony. The Oceanside was won recently by subsequent Grade 1 winners Hit the Road (2020) and Bowies Hero (2017).

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The Oceanside is the first in a three-race summer turf series for 3-year-olds, preceding the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap in August and Grade 2 Del Mar Derby in September.

The July 23 feature is the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf. Seven of the 23 nominees are trained by D’Amato including Bellabel, Helens Well, and Island of Love. Tezzaray, a Grade 3-winning comebacker trained by Peter Miller, also was nominated. The San Clemente is a prep for the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks in August.

The supporting feature July 23 is the $100,000 Osunitas Stakes, a restricted stake for fillies and mares at a mile on turf. Nominees include D’Amato trainees Amy C, Macadamia and She’s So Nice. Leonard Powell trains Osunitas nominee Avenue de France; Jeff Mullins trains Quattroelle.

Two stakes are scheduled for July 24. The Cougar II is a Grade 3 race, but the ungraded $100,000 Wickerr Stakes may attract the best horse. Smooth Like Strait would be strongly favored in the Wickerr, restricted turf mile. Michael McCarthy trains Smooth Like Strait, a Grade 1 winner who has won seven races and more than $1.5 million. His rivals would be Grade 3 sprint winner Bran and 2021 Wickerr winner Neptune’s Storm. Storm the Court, 2019 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner, is also was nominated.

The Cougar II, at a mile and one-half on dirt, includes multiple graded marathon winner Lone Rock. He is trained by Robertino Diodoro, who is expected to have a summer string at Del Mar. D’Amato nominated a pair of turf runners to the dirt race – Cash Equity and Red King. There Goes Harvard, winner of the Grade 1 Gold Cup last out, is nominated, along with 2021 Cougar II winner Tizamagician. Since the Cougar II moved from synthetic to dirt in 2015, average field size is 5.6.