D'Amato will hold Stronghold out of BC Dirt Mile in favor of fall rest
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Santa Anita Derby winner Stronghold will be held out of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 2 in favor of an autumn rest and a scheduled comeback in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs at Santa Anita on Dec. 26.
Trainer Phil D’Amato said on Sunday that Stronghold was always going to have a rest this fall, either before or after the BC Dirt Mile.
“We’ve run him a lot this year,” D’Amato said. “We were going to run in the Breeders’ Cup and give him a rest, or give him a break now and wait for the Malibu and have a nice 4-year-old year.”
Stronghold races for breeders Rick and Sharon Waller and has won 3 of 9 starts and earned $1,068,000. Stronghold is winless in three starts since the Santa Anita Derby in early April – a seventh in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 4 and second-place finishes in the Grade 3 Indiana Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis on July 6, and the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing in his last start on Sept. 21.
In the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby, Stronghold was beaten by Seize the Grey, an expected starter in the BC Dirt Mile. The Dirt Mile is expected to have a large field, including Skippylongstocking, who was second in the Grade 2 Woodward Stakes at Aqueduct on Sept. 28, and possibly National Treasure, the runner-up in the Grade 1 California Crown Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 28.
Through Sunday, National Treasure has not had a published workout since the California Crown Stakes, however. Typically, a horse that last raced more than three weeks ago would have a published work by now.
Breeders’ Cup hopefuls will be pre-entered on Monday. Entries and post positions will be finalized on Oct. 28.
National Treasure is trained by Bob Baffert, who declined on Sunday to discuss the status of his Breeders’ Cup candidates until the pre-entries are announced on Wednesday.
D’Amato said plans are uncertain regarding the Breeders’ Cup for One Magic Philly, the winner of the Grade 3 Chillingworth Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs in her stakes debut at Santa Anita on Oct. 5.
Other options are the Grade 3 Bayakoa Stakes, a $300,000 race for fillies and mares at Del Mar on Nov. 2, or the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at seven furlongs for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita on Dec. 26.
One Magic Philly will be pre-entered in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint at 6 1/2 furlongs on Nov. 2. D’Amato said One Magic Philly will have a workout at Santa Anita that will determine whether she is entered in the Breeders’ Cup.
“We’ll wait until the last work and let her tell us what to do,” D’Amato said.
“She’s still a 3-year-old. She has her career before her. She has such a bright future.”
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