Toowindytohaulrox begins road to Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in two-turn Wickerr
DEL MAR, Calif. – Toowindytohaulrox ended his 2015 campaign with two surprising finishes – a third at 48-1 in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar and a win at 21-1 in the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.
They were not flukes, trainer Phil D’Amato insists.
The third in the Seabiscuit Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on turf has left D’Amato encouraged about Toowindytohaulrox’s appearance in Saturday’s $75,000 Wickerr Stakes at a mile on turf at Del Mar.
“He had a good two-turn race in the fall,” D’Amato said. “He’s shown in his form that with age, he gets a little better and better.”
A 5-year-old, Toowindytohaulrox won his first stakes in the Daytona. On June 5, in his first start this year, Toowindytohaulrox was second to stablemate Hunt in the Siren Lure Stakes on the hillside turf course.
Later this year, D’Amato hopes Toowindytohaulrox will start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on the same course. But at Del Mar this summer, the emphasis will be on two-turn races and not sprints.
“There’s plenty of time between now and then to get there,” D’Amato said of the BC Turf Sprint. “I’d rather run him two turns than five furlongs.”
Owned by Queen Bee Racing, Toowindytohaulrox is part of a field of nine in the Wickerr, although the race may have a few defections. Ohio and Texas Ryano are being considered for Sunday’s $250,000 Eddie Read Stakes on turf. The Wickerr is restricted to nonwinners of a stakes worth $50,000 or more to the winner at a mile or longer this year. Statebred races are excluded from that condition.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Toowindytohaulrox. Trainer Phil D’Amato is 27-7-4-2 with a $4.58 ROI over the past five years going sprint to route on turf at Del Mar. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Lieutenant Colonel. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is 59-3-10-10 with a $1.06 ROI over the past five years with horses trying turf for the first time in Southern California. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
D’Amato also runs Vyjack, the multiple stakes winner who was 18th in the 2013 Kentucky Derby. The Wickerr will be the California debut of Vyjack, a 6-year-old gelding who has won 7 of 25 starts and earned $1,161,900.
Previously trained by Bill Mott, Vyjack has started twice this year, winning an allowance race at Keeneland in April and finishing a fast-closing second in the Grade 3 Red Bank Stakes at Monmouth Park on June 5.
“He’s a professional horse,” D’Amato said. “I think he’s pretty versatile. He came from out of it at Monmouth Park, and the race before he was on the pace at Keeneland.”