D'Amato well stocked for weekend stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – It will be nearly impossible for trainer Phil D’Amato to win the training title at the current Del Mar summer meeting. A rough first two weeks, in which his stable had one win from 27 runners, makes that goal nearly impossible before the meeting ends Sept. 2.

Through Sunday, D’Amato was tied for seventh in the standings with six wins, 10 fewer than leader Doug O’Neill. Until Sunday, when O’Neill had two runner-up finishes, D’Amato and O’Neill were tied for the most seconds at the meet with nine.

“I was the leading trainer in seconds and I’m trying to be the leading trainer in firsts,” D’Amato said. “The horses are running good. I had some tough beats, a couple of noses and heads.”

D’Amato is aiming for better results in the final weeks of the season and will start a bevy of stakes runners in important races. This weekend, D’Amato plans to run Acclimate in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on turf and as many as three runners in Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Del Mar Mile on turf.

Acclimate won the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Handicap at about 1 3/4 miles on turf in June at Santa Anita. There is a chance D’Amato also may run Red King, who was third in the San Juan Capistrano. The winner of the Del Mar Handicap receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.

The race is led by Marckie’s Water, winner of the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at Santa Anita in May, and Itsinthepost, a seven-time stakes winner since the spring of 2017.

In the Del Mar Mile, D’Amato is running Bowies Hero, Prince Earl, and What a View. Bowies Hero won the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes on July 21, the stable’s only winner at Del Mar in July. Prince Earl has not raced since a fourth in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby last December. What a View was third in the California Dreamin’ Handicap for California-breds on July 26 in his first start of the year.

D’Amato is enthusiastic about Prince Earl’s chances, despite the layoff. Prince Earl worked in company in recent weeks with Andesh, who won an optional claimer Saturday in his first start since last fall.

“Bowies is doing great,” D’Amato said. “What a View will have his second race after a break. Prince Earl was Andesh’s work partner, and he’s got some back class.”

The Del Mar Mile field includes Bolo, who won the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita in May, and Bombard, who won the Wickerr Stakes at a mile on turf July 21. D’Amato thinks his team will be competitive.

“I’m looking forward to taking a big swing at the Del Mar Mile,” D’Amato said.