Fanticola faces salty group in Mabee Stakes
DEL MAR, Calif. – The days of turf sprints are behind Fanticola, the favorite for Saturday’s $250,000 John C. Mabee Stakes for fillies and mares on turf at Del Mar.
For most of this year, trainer Phil D’Amato has emphasized races at a mile or longer with Fanticola and has watched the 5-year-old go through the best season of her career. Second-place finishes in the Grade 3 Santa Barbara Handicap and Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita in April and May were followed by a first graded stakes win in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on June 27.
As he left the winner’s circle after that race, D’Amato repeatedly said that Fanticola “deserved” the win after the close losses in the preceding races.
“I know she stacks up against the fillies on the West Coast,” D’Amato said. “She’s been consistent in two-turn grass races.”
The Grade 2 Mabee Stakes will be a different test, run at 1 1/8 miles, with eight stakes winners in a field of nine.
KEY CONTENDERS
Fanticola (Last 3 Beyers: 94-94-93)
◗ Owned by Anthony Fanticola and Joe Scardino, Fanticola set the pace in the Santa Barbara Handicap and Gamely Stakes. D’Amato was delighted to see her race from a stalking position in the Royal Heroine, take the lead in the last furlong, and hold off a late threat from Santa Barbara winner Queen of The Sand.
“She stalked the pace and kicked away,” D’Amato said.
But in the Mabee, Fanticola might inherit the lead. The field lacks other fillies or mares who race near the front. Jockey Joe Talamo might find himself trying to nurse Fanticola through a modest pace.
“I’ll leave it up to Joe,” D’Amato said. “She can stalk.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Fanticola. Trainer Phil D’Amato is 13-6-0-0 with a $8.09 ROI over the past five years in turf routes at Del Mar with last-out winners. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Queen of The Sand (Last 3 Beyers: 93-88-93)
◗ After winning the first stakes of her career in the Santa Barbara, Queen of The Sand was only eighth of 10 in the Gamely. In the Royal Heroine, she closed from seventh in a field of nine to miss by a neck. The longer distance of the Mabee should suit Queen of The Sand, who is trained by Paddy Gallagher.
“I think it’s a nice distance for her,” Gallagher said. “The last race she ran well, but in the previous race, she disappointed a bit. She didn’t seem like herself.”
Elektrum (Last 3 Beyers: 92-86-85)
◗ Trained by John Sadler, Elektrum is the only runner without a stakes win. A 4-year-old Irish-bred, Elektrum was third in a minor stakes in France last year and fourth in her American stakes debut in the Gamely.
“A mile and an eighth is right up her alley,” Sadler said.
Blingismything (Last 3 Beyers: 88-93-91)
◗ Blingismything, trained by Eric Kruljac, closed with a rush to win the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on April 26. After finishing third in the Gamely, she was only sixth in the Royal Heroine, encountering trouble on the turn.
Jockey Tyler Baze rode Blingismything in the Royal Heroine and was left frustrated by the result.
“I got stopped, and we didn’t have a good trip,” Baze said. “If she can get the right trip, she can win. They’ve given her plenty of time.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Personal Diary. Trainer Victoria Oliver is 7-2-0-2 with a $5.05 ROI over the past five years in turf routes at Del Mar; one of those two victories was by Personal Diary last year, her last winning effort. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan