Depth of D'Amato's stable shows in San Clemente Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. - The depth of trainer Phil D’Amato’s Southern California stable was on display in Saturday’s Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes at Del Mar. For the first time since D’Amato began training in the early 2010s, he swept the first three positions in a graded stakes in the $203,500 San Clemente for 3-year-old fillies on turf.

D’Amato has a turf-heavy stable and the successful trifecta of the Irish-bred fillies Bellabel, Sixteen Arches and Island of Love represented his best result with at least three runners in a graded stakes since he finished first, second and fourth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap in 2014.

Bellabel returned from a layoff of more than six months to win her third consecutive race in the San Clemente. Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Bellabel closed from sixth in a field of 12 to win her graded stakes debut by two lengths.

Imported from Ireland last fall, Bellabel is unbeaten in two starts in the United States, having won the Blue Norther Stakes at Santa Anita in January. D’Amato said Sunday that Bellabel was always going to have a wintertime break with the goal of a campaign in the second half of this year.

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“We thought we’d run her twice and then turn her out and save her for her 3-year-old season,” he said. “She had a lot of races overseas. She surprised me first time out.”

Bellabel, a winner of 3 of 7 starts, had five starts at 2 when trained by Jessica Harrington in Ireland. Her first win was the start of the current winning streak, a minor handicap at Naas Racecourse in Ireland last September.

Bellabel and Sixteen Arches are two fillies in what should be part of a sizable team for D’Amato in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Aug. 20. Others could include Island of Love or Helens Well, who finished ninth in the San Clemente.

Sixteen Arches was the surprise filly among the D’Amato team in the San Clemente. Owned by Michael House, she finished sixth, fourth and fifth in her first three starts in California.

“Mike House thought I was crazy to run her in there,” D’Amato said of the San Clemente. “She had been compromised by traffic issues in her last race. She’s a lightly framed filly who will get better with age.”

The leading trainer at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting earlier this year, D’Amato will not wait long in an effort to emulate Saturday’s milestone.

As of Sunday, D’Amato planned to have four runners in the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf on July 31 – Cash Equity, Cathkin Peak, Hong Kong Harry, and Masteroffoxhounds.