Macadamia comes through for D’Amato, takes Wilshire Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - On Sunday morning, leading California trainer Phil D’Amato had two hopes for the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes at Santa Anita that afternoon.

By lunchtime, he was down to one runner after Rhea Moon was found to have sustained a minor injury in her stall. Macadamia, the barn’s other hope, ran the best race of her American career in the $100,500 Wilshire, winning the one-mile turf race for fillies and mares by a length.

“It’s the trials and tribulations of being a trainer,” D’Amato said as he left the winner’s circle. “You work so hard to get Rhea Moon ready to run and then something happens.”

Rhea Moon, the winner of the Grade 1 American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies in December, suffered a cut on a leg. She remains a candidate for the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf for fillies and mares on May 29, a $400,000 race that may include Macadamia.

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Macadamia, a 5-year-old Brazilian-bred mare, won her first stakes in the United States in the Wilshire Stakes, her second win in her last three starts. Macadamia won an allowance race at 1 1/8 miles on turf in her first start of 2023 in February and was second to Quattroelle in the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes at a mile on turf on March 4.

Quattroelle (2-1) was part of the Wilshire field, but stumbled at the start, causing jockey Hector Berrios to lose his right iron for a few strides. Quattroelle was last of six on the backstretch, while Macadamia was third or fourth under jockey Tiago Pereira.

Macadamia was third on the turn and took the lead with a furlong remaining. She paid $8.20 to win.

Quattroelle closed with a rush to finish a clear second, 1 3/4 lengths in front of 9-1 Very Scary. Closing Remarks, the 9-5 favorite, finished fourth, followed by pacesetter Canoodling and Thunder Run.

Macadamia was timed in 1:33.66.

“She keeps taking a step up,” D’Amato said. “I like the way she performed in the stretch. She wasn’t going to let Quattroelle pass her."

Macadamia, by Hat Trick, races for R Unicorn Stable. A two-time Group 1 winner on turf in Brazil in 2021, Macadamia has won 4 of 12 starts and earned $204,413.

Macadamia completed a stellar weekend for D’Amato, who won five stakes at Golden Gate Fields and Santa Anita.

Santa Barbara

Queen Ofthe Temple reached the front at the ideal time in deep stretch of Sunday’s $100,500 Santa Barbara Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/2 miles on turf.

Queen Ofthe Temple ($6.40) closed from third in a field of six to win by a neck over a fast-closing Duvet Day, the 6-5 favorite. Exit Soul, a 9-1 chance who set a slow pace, finished third, a head behind Duvet Day.

Queen Ofthe Temple was ridden for the first time by Joe Bravo, and was timed in 2:26.64.

“Joe Bravo made all the difference,” winning trainer Dan Blacker said. “He rode her so well.

“You’ve got to get after her and get her in position. He rode her to the line and got the win for us.”

Duvet Day, the winner of the Astra Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf in January, was fifth with a quarter-mile remaining while racing on the rail. Duvet Day closed rapidly once she was moved to the outside in the stretch under jockey Juan Hernandez.

“I was behind the winner the whole race,” Hernandez said.

Duvet Day “didn’t like to be on the inside and didn’t want to pick it up. At the eighth pole, she switched out. She likes to run in the clear. Maybe, one more jump and she would have got it.”

Michael McCarthy trains Duvet Day and Exit Soul. Zeyaraat finished fourth, followed by Seisai and Scarabea.

Exit Soul, a maiden race winner on March 18, ran the opening quarter-mile in 24.36 seconds and a half-mile in 49.57 seconds. The Santa Barbara was her stakes debut.

Queen Ofthe Temple, a 5-year-old mare by Temple City, races for the partnership of Roger Featherston, Rick Gold, Tony Maslowski and Blacker’s Radley Equine.

A winner of 2 of 13 starts and $237,740, Queen Ofthe Temple was second in the Astra Stakes and third in the Grade 3 Santa Ana Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf on March 12 in her first two starts this year.

“I’m thankful she finally got a stakes win,” Blacker said.

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