Going Global uses Del Mar Oaks to prove she's best in the West
DEL MAR, Calif. - Going Global left no doubt regarding her status among California’s 3-year-old turf fillies with a sharp one-length win in Saturday’s Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks, her first appearance in a race at the highest level.
Ridden by Flavien Prat, his third stakes win in as many races on Saturday’s program, Going Global ($4.80) rallied between fillies with less than a quarter-mile remaining and held off a determined rival in 6-1 Closing Remarks to win by a length.
The $302,000 Del Mar Oaks was Going Global’s fifth stakes win in six starts this year. She was beaten a half-length as the 2-5 favorite in the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes at a mile on turf here on July 24 by Madone, who could only finish fifth in the Del Mar Oaks.
Prat, the leading rider at the current summer meeting, had Going Global in fifth on the backstretch in the Del Mar Oaks and guided the filly to the front when racing space developed entering the stretch.
“I was traveling super,” Prat said. “It was a matter of finding a gap to go through. As soon as she saw the daylight, she went through it.”
Going Global ran 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:48.91 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 93.
Going Global trailed pacesetter Javanica by a head with a furlong to go, and was clear at the wire. Javanica set a modest pace of 24.35 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 48.66 for a half-mile.
Closing Remarks closed from fourth with a furlong remaining to finish three-quarters of a length in front of 3-1 Fluffy Socks.
Feathers finished fourth, followed by Madone, Javanica, Ivy League, Soaring Sky, and Tetragonal.
Closing Remarks has finished second to Going Global in three stakes this year. Closing Remarks broke from the rail in the Del Mar Oaks.
“The inside post took too long to get out from,” trainer Carla Gaines said. “We keep getting beat by Going Global, but we’ll keep trying.”
Fluffy Socks was second in the Grade 3 Lake George Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga on July 23. This was her first appearance in Southern California since a win in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes at a mile here last November.
Going Global, trained by Phil D’Amato, races for the partnership of Michael Dubb, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig, and Ray Pagano. An Irish-bred filly by Mehmas, Going Global won four consecutive turf stakes at Santa Anita from mid-February to late May at distances ranging from six furlongs to 1 1/8 miles on turf.
Going Global has won 6 of 10 starts and earned $468,792. This year, she has earned $460,000. Going Global arrived at D’Amato’s stable last winter.