D'Angelo stoked about spendy claim
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Trainer Jose D’Angelo has had a flashy start to the Del Mar summer meeting.
D’Angelo, who is based at Gulfstream Park, won with his first starter when Bojaca Blessing led throughout an allowance race at 1 1/16 miles on turf at 10-1 on July 23. And last Saturday, D’Angelo grabbed attention when he claimed the 5-year-old gelding Bartholdy for $100,000 on behalf of David Bernsen, TCC Stables, and Jeffrey Lambert.
The claim was one of the highest in Del Mar history, though not a record. Last summer, Mr. A. P. was claimed for a record $150,000 by David and Holly Wilson and trainer Vladimir Cerin. Mr. A. P. later finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar.
Bartholdy, who has won 5 of 26 starts, has finished third in four graded stakes since Christmas and may have his next start in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs on Aug. 29, D’Angelo said earlier this week.
“We have plenty of options,” D’Angelo said. “The horse has an amazing style. We’re planning to see how he acts and we’ll make a decision. I think he’s an interesting horse.”
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Last Saturday, Bartholdy led throughout the mile allowance, winning by 6 1/2 lengths. He was one of four runners in a field of eight eligible to be claimed for $100,000 and the only one to finish in the top four.
The win ended a six-race losing streak since Bartholdy led throughout a 6 1/2-furlong allowance at Del Mar last November. Bartholdy was third in the Grade 3 Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs at Santa Anita on May 31 and third as the 3-5 favorite in a starter allowance at seven furlongs at Los Alamitos on July 5.
Previous trainer Steve Knapp said Bartholdy may have been a bargain claim.
“I think he’s worth $200,000,” Knapp said last weekend. “He’s a nice horse. We’ve had trouble getting out of the gate. He broke good and you saw what happened.”
Knapp trained Bartholdy for a partnership that included himself, John Haagsma, and Robert Vanderdussen. They claimed Bartholdy for $50,000 in August 2024, when the then-3-year-old finished second by a nose in a maiden race at Del Mar. For the partnership, Bartholdy won 4 of 17 starts and earned $312,520.
D’Angelo, best known for winning Breeders’ Cup races last fall with Shisopsicy (Turf Sprint) and Bentornato (Sprint), has a small stable based at Del Mar for the first time this summer. Through Thursday, D’Angelo had one win from three runners. On Saturday, D’Angelo starts Pop Rox in the second race, a $10,000 claiming race at 5 1/2 furlongs, and High Ambition in the third race, a maiden race at five furlongs for 2-year-olds.
In Sunday’s sixth race, an allowance race at five furlongs on turf, D’Angelo starts Snappy Comeback and Zolene.