Gold Phoenix will travel, Hong Kong Harry will not, says D'Amato

DEL MAR, Calif. - Stablemates Hong Kong Harry and Gold Phoenix won the most important races of their careers in Grade 2 turf stakes at Del Mar on Saturday, but will have divergent schedules this fall for trainer Phil D’Amato.

A trip to Keeneland for the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 5 beckons for Gold Phoenix, who won his first stakes in Saturday’s Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap for turf marathoners.

Hong Kong Harry, the winner of the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile, is not leaving California.

Economics are playing a major role in the decisions, D’Amato said Sunday.

Gold Phoenix, who races for Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables, and Marsha Naify, earned a fees-paid berth to the BC Turf with the win in the $303,000 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles.

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The Del Mar Handicap was the longest race of Gold Phoenix’s career. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Gold Phoenix ($9.60) closed from 10th to win by a head over 2-1 favorite Master Piece.

“He’s a horse that wasn’t blowing in the winner’s circle,” D’Amato said. “Flavien got off and said he’ll run all day.”

Gold Phoenix represented the seventh time D’Amato has won the race in the last nine years.

D’Amato has had six starters in the BC Turf, but has not finished closer than ninth on three occasions. The field for the BC Turf will be better known in coming weeks as the leading races throughout the country and Europe are contested.

For Gold Phoenix, the BC Turf will be his first start in a Grade 1. He will be a longshot.

“It’s a matter of how tough the competition is,” D'Amato said. “At least stamina-wise, he fits.”

Hong Kong Harry, a 4-year-old gelding, has not been nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program and did not earn a fees-paid berth for winning the $302,000 Del Mar Mile. Owned by the partnership of Scott Anastasi, Jimmy Ukegawa and Tony Valazza, Hong Kong Harry would need to be supplemented to the Breeders’ Cup program for $200,000, a fee that covers the remainder of his racing carer, before an additional $60,000 in pre-entry and entry fees are due.

Hong Kong Harry earned $180,000 for his win in the Del Mar Mile.

“I’m not looking at the Breeders’ Cup,” D’Amato said. “He’s not nominated. It’s a big chunk of change to run against monsters."

D’Amato said Grade 2 turf races such as the $200,000 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita on Oct. 1, and the $250,000 Seabiscuit Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on Nov. 26 are more realistic goals for Hong Kong Harry.

Hong Kong Harry won the Grade 3 American Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on June 19 before finishing a troubled second in the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf here a month later.

The Grade 2 stakes in the fall are considered two suitable goals for an end-of-year campaign.

“We can give him time off and have a nice horse for next year,” he said. “We can have some fun with him.”

D’Amato does have an expected runner in the BC Mile in Count Again, who earned a fees-paid berth with a win in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita in May. Count Again was held out of the Del Mar Mile, and may not start again until the BC Mile, D’Amato said Sunday.

“I could wait and run in the Breeders’ Cup,” he said. “That would be most likely. He’s not a horse to squeeze a race into before the Breeders’ Cup, like the City of Hope. A long layoff doesn’t matter to the horse.”