Iron Man Cal takes to being gelded

ARCADIA, Calif. – Making his first start as a gelding, Grade-1 placed Iron Man Cal scored his first victory since 2024 on Sunday at Santa Anita. Runner-up in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, Iron Man Cal won a deep second-level allowance on Sunday and may return to stakes this summer at Del Mar.

It is not often that a Grade 1-placed colt undergoes the ultimate equipment change, but trainer Phil D’Amato could see Iron Man Cal was going nowhere as a full horse. “Just a big, heavy horse and he had a little bit of hang to him,” D’Amato said after the Sunday allowance.

“We thought gelding him would help him break through,” D’Amato said. “This was a good performance today, and I still think this horse has more room to improve. Confidence-wise, this race will help him.”

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Iron Man Cal is likely to target the $100,000 Wickerr Stakes, a restricted turf mile on July 19 at Del Mar. Antonio Fresu has ridden Iron Man Cal in all nine of his starts, including three wins. The favorite in the Sunday allowance, Detain, finished third in a promising U.S. debut.

D’Amato trainees Darya and Inbox came out of their one-two finish in the Honeymoon Stakes on Saturday in top shape, and will be joined by a third D’Amato trainee in the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap on July 18 at Del Mar.

Peanutbutterbombe, a stakes-placed filly who won an entry-level allowance on May 15, will join Darya and Inbox in the San Clemente, a mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies. “Looking forward to the San Clemente. I should have a nice trio,” D’Amato said.

Gold Phoenix worked five furlongs for D’Amato on Sunday morning. The 8-year-old gelding is expected to start favored Sunday in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano at a mile and three-quarters on turf.

“The only thing that worries me is this turf course is looking a little speed-biased. You can see it’s getting fast,” D’Amato said. “Hopefully a mile and three-quarters helps us out.”

D’Amato enters closing week as the leading trainer at the Santa Anita spring meet, with 18 wins from 81 starters. John Sadler is second with 14 wins from 44 starters.

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