Formidable Man's success at Del Mar continues with Eddie Read Stakes
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DEL MAR, Calif. - What a year to have a home-course advantage.
Formidable Man is unbeaten in five starts on turf at Del Mar, with the latest victory coming in a diminished running of Sunday’s Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes.
Ridden by regular rider Umberto Rispoli, Formidable Man tracked a slow pace and rallied on the inside through the final quarter-mile to catch a stubborn pacesetter in Cabo Spirit.
Formidable Man’s success at Del Mar includes the Oceanside Stakes, Grade 2 Del Mar Derby and Grade 1 Hollywood Derby from July to late November last year.
The Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 1 has been mentioned as a long-range goal for Formidable Man.
On Sunday, however, Formidable Man displayed his ability at the slightly longer distance of 1 1/8 miles, scoring his fifth stakes win and second this year. Formidable Man won the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf at Santa Anita in March.
The Read win was accomplished despite a brief moment of tension on the turn when Formidable Man raced behind leader Cabo Spirit and when Balnikhov reached contention with a wide move on the turn.
When running room developed, Formidable Man ($3.60) showed a sharp rally to join the leaders, eventually winning by a length over 6-1 Cabo Spirit.
“He was dragging me down the backside,” Rispoli said. “I was hoping for the gap to open.”
Formidable Man was timed in 1:48.55 after following Cabo Spirit through an opening quarter-mile in 24.97 seconds and a half-mile in 49. Formidable Man earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 99.
Stay Hot, who was 4-1 when the field was loading and went off at 9-5, finished third, 2 3/4 lengths behind Formidable Man.
“It was too slow and that didn’t help,” jockey Antonio Fresu said of the pace.
Balnikhov, who was ridden aggressively by Kazushi Kimura at the end of the backstretch, faded to finish fourth, followed by Dicey Mo Chara and Balladeer.
The race lost two prominent runners in Atitlan and Gold Phoenix on Sunday morning.
Atitlan, a three-time graded stakes winner in the last year, kicked a concrete wall earlier on the weekend, trainer John Shirreffs said in a text message.
Gold Phoenix, winner of the 2023 Eddie Read and seventh in 2024, sustained a “minor scratch on a pastern,” trainer Phil D’Amato said.
“It’s a very, very minor issue,” D’Amato said on Sunday morning. “He’ll be training tomorrow. It’s one of those bad timing and little tiny things. We’ll regroup.”
Formidable Man, who races for Suzanne and William Warren and trainer Mike McCarthy, has won 7 of 14 starts and earned $985,425.
McCarthy mentioned the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on turf on Aug. 30 as a short-term option with Formidable Man.
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