Tezzaray contributes to great day for Slam Dunk exec
DEL MAR, Calif. - The final three races of Saturday’s program at Del Mar produced an unforgettable hour for Nick Cosato, the managing director of the Slam Dunk Racing syndicate.
Slam Dunk co-owns Tezzaray, who won her stakes debut in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes for 2-year-old fillies in the day’s seventh race. Two races later, Beyond Brilliant ($23.80) won the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby. Slam Dunk Racing did not have a runner in the Hollywood Derby, but Cosato made a successful series of bets on the race to give him a win in a track-sponsored handicapping tournament.
“I wish I had a few more days like that,” Cosato said Sunday.
“I’ve won a few” tournaments, Cosato said. “I don’t play them as often anymore.”
To win Saturday’s handicapping tournament, Cosato turned a $2,000 live bankroll into $29,602. In addition, he won a $20,500 prize for the tournament win, and a berth in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge.
Sunday morning, Cosato’s focus was on the filly Tezzaray. He stood in front of Tezzaray’s stall at trainer Peter Miller’s stable, admiring a British-bred filly who is unbeaten in two starts since arriving from Europe in October.
Tezzaray has earned $102,000 in two starts for Slam Dunk Racing and Roger Newman, beginning with a maiden special weight race at Del Mar on Nov. 4.
“It’s a nice feeling,” Cosato said of the prize money.
Tezzaray rallied between rivals to reach the front just in time in the one-mile race, denying an unlucky Awake at Midnyte. Cosato was halfway to the winner’s circle when he and some of the partners wondered if Tezzaray had in fact finished first. The group hesitated until they saw proof of victory on the tote board.
“We didn’t want to walk into the winner’s circle and they put it up wrong,” Cosato said.
Cosato, 55, grew up near Santa Anita and has been involved in racing since the late 1980s. He was a jockey’s agent for more than 20 years, representing riders such as Garrett Gomez, Corey Nakatani, Victor Espinoza, Patrick Valenzuela, Joe Bravo, and Michael Baze.
Earlier in November, Slam Dunk Racing’s Ginobili finished second in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar. On Saturday, Ginobili is scheduled to start in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct.
Tezzaray was Miller’s final stakes winner before he stopped training on Sunday to relinquish control of his stable to longtime assistant Ruben Alvarado.
Earlier in November, Miller, 55, cited a desire to spend more time with family and blamed burnout from decades of training as reason for the change.
Miller spent Sunday morning at Del Mar, overseeing the stable’s activity. Monday morning, he said, his focus will be on seeing his two young sons off to elementary school.
“I want to do more with my family,” he said.
Miller’s decision comes at a time when the stable has been under increased scrutiny following the deaths of six horses in his care since late December, including two from injuries sustained in races and three in training.
Fatalities have been a high-profile subject in Southern California racing since a series of deaths in racing and training at Santa Anita in early 2019 led to enhanced regulation and oversight.
“The last three years have been brutal - the blame game, scrutiny, just everything,” Miller said. “It hasn’t been fun to be a horse trainer.”
Miller plans to remain active in racing as an owner and as an advisor to Alvarado. The stable will have approximately 60 horses in California with Alvarado at Santa Anita and assistant trainer Jehobany Alvarez at San Luis Rey Downs, while trainer Rene Amescua will have 20 horses at Oaklawn Park, Miller said.
Miller won with his final starter on Sunday, Handy Dandy ($53.20) in a one-mile maiden special weight for 2-year-olds on turf. A jubilant Miller walked toward the winner’s circle with his two sons, celebrating the surprise win.
“Yeah, baby,” Miller screamed, throwing his hat in the air.