Iron Man Cal eyes San Diego Handicap for dirt debut
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Iron Man Cal, a stakes winner on turf in 2024 and the runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf that year, may have his first career start on dirt in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 18.
Iron Man Cal worked five furlongs on dirt in a rapid 58.80 seconds at Santa Anita on Saturday, preceded by the same clocking at the distance on June 28.
“He breezes so tremendous on the dirt,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “We’ve been toying with the idea of trying him on the dirt in the last couple of months.”
The $300,000 San Diego Handicap is run at 1 1/16 miles.
Iron Man Cal won an allowance race at a mile on turf on June 7, his first win since the Grade 3 Zuma Beach Stakes at a mile on turf for 2-year-olds at Santa Anita in October 2024, and his first race since being gelded in late April.
“He came out of the race in good shape,” D’Amato said.
Iron Man Cal finished second by a half-length in the Zuma Beach Stakes, but was promoted to second when first-place finisher Artislas was disqualified for causing interference.
D’Amato said that another option for Iron Man Cal is the restricted Wickerr Stakes at a mile on turf at Del Mar on July 19. The track’s summer meeting begins on July 17.
D’Amato is considering Stronghold for the San Diego or the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at six furlongs on July 25. The winner of the 2024 Santa Anita Derby, Stronghold worked five furlongs in 59.20 seconds at Santa Anita on Saturday.
Stronghold won his third stakes in the Grade 3 Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs by 2 1/2 lengths as the 1-2 favorite at Santa Anita on May 31.
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