Endlessly facing bigger test in Zuma Beach Stakes
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ARCADIA, Calif. – The extended streak of Breeders’ Cup futility by winners of the Zuma Beach Stakes might someday end. It will take a good horse.
Endlessly is beginning to look like a good horse. But before proclaiming he has a realistic shot next month in the BC Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita, 2-for-2 Endlessly must defeat eight rivals Sunday in the Grade 3 Zuma Beach over the same turf course.
“He’s jumped through all the hoops so far,” said Endlessly’s trainer, Michael McCarthy. “Early on, he seemed like a horse that had a little ability. Plenty of class about him.”
In that regard, he takes after his sire, Oscar Performance, also bred by Mrs. Jerry Amerman and owned by Jerry and her husband, John. Oscar Performance won three Grade 1s for the Amermans, including the 2016 BC Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita. Endlessly may be headed to the same race.
After impressive wins, including the Grade 3 Del Mar Juvenile Turf, Endlessly is expected to start favored for the first time. His main rivals include French import Pour Dompter, debut winner Formidable Man, and front-runner Boltage. Mici’s Express, Ngannou, Rothschild, Grand Mo the First, and Ace of Clubs also entered.
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The Zuma Beach was run for the first time in 2012; every winner ran back in the BC Juvenile Turf. They are 0 for 11. The 2014 winner, Luck of the Kitten, returned to finish second; the 2021 winner, Mackinnon, finished third in the BC.
Endlessly shaded 24 seconds in his final quarter-miles in both Del Mar starts with jockey Juan Hernandez. The challenge Sunday is to reproduce his Del Mar form racing one mile over a Santa Anita course less friendly to closers. Endlessly also faces a better field.
Pour Dompter, 1 for 5 in France and in the money every start including two stakes, arrived from Europe too late for the Del Mar Juvenile Turf on Sept. 10.
“He just didn’t come in in time,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “It would have been a week and a half to the race. The time line wasn’t quite right.”
D’Amato has had plenty time to prepare Pour Dompter for his U.S. debut and expects the colt to run well first start back.
“He’s a very solid horse, trains steadily, and has a nice little turn of foot late in his breezes,” D’Amato said. “We’ll run him European style, get him covered up, and come with a run.”
Hector Berrios rides Pour Dompter.
In addition to Endlessly, McCarthy entered Formidable Man, a City of Light colt from graded stakes winner Fanticola. Formidable Man ran better on turf than he trained on dirt, winning his debut by a half-length over stablemate Ngannou. Ngannou entered the Zuma Beach as a backup, he is an also-eligible in a Saturday maiden race.
The Zuma Beach, race 6, is the opening leg of the $3 all-turf daily pick three. The sequence includes the Surfer Girl for juvenile turf fillies, race 8, and an allowance, race 10, with Seal Team.
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