Stronghold will shorten up for Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. – California-based Stronghold will shorten to a mile and face older in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 2 at Del Mar, trainer Phil D’Amato said Sunday at Santa Anita, a day after Stronghold finished second in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing.

“If he comes out of it well, we’re going to run him in the Dirt Mile,” D’Amato said. “It’s a race where they’re not going to go (1:13.80) and I think a mile, at this point in time, will hit him right between the eyes.”

A late runner, Stronghold was compromised by pace in the Pennsylvania Derby. The opening half was 49.25, six furlongs went in 1:13.81. Stronghold and jockey Antonio Fresu rallied wide to challenge the pacesetter Seize the Grey in the stretch, but Seize the Grey kicked away and defeated Stronghold by 3 3/4 lengths.

“The last two times, we were pace-compromised,” D’Amato said, referring to Stronghold’s runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand, a race won by pacesetter Dragoon Guard.

D’Amato looks forward to starting Stronghold in a race with a quicker tempo. “If he gets a scenario where they’re going 1:09-1:10, he’s deadly. He’s one of the few horses that has a dirt turn of foot. He can change gears on the dirt.”

Stronghold has won three races, including the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby; he finished second five times from nine starts. His only off-the-board finish was a seventh in the Kentucky Derby. Owned by breeders Eric and Sharon Waller, Stronghold has earned $1,068,000.

The BC Dirt Mile will be Stronghold’s first start against older. The BC Dirt Mile has been won by 3-year-olds five times: Caleb’s Posse, 2011; Goldencents, 2013; Battle of Midway, 2017; Spun to Run, 2019; and Life is Good, 2021.

California-based runners possible for the BC Dirt Mile also include National Treasure, who runs Sept. 28 in the Grade 1 California Crown; and Dr. Venkman, who runs Sept. 29 in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship. Dr. Venkman is possible for the BC Sprint.

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