Turf festival candidates gearing up

DEL MAR, Calif. – Even though the turf festival at Del Mar is still a few weeks away, those with designs on the races are already tuning up, mindful that nominations for those lucrative races close Saturday.

Trainer Phil D’Amato figures to have plenty of action the final week of the meet, including with Cleopatra’s Strike, who won the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship in his last start, then bypassed the Breeders’ Cup earlier this month in order to point for the Grade 2, $200,000 Seabiscuit Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on Nov. 30. He worked five furlongs on Sunday in 1:03.60, part of a group of 19 horses who worked on the turf here. Del Mar allows turf workers. With the exception of Breeders’ Cup workers, Santa Anita does not.

The Seabiscuit is one of seven graded stakes on turf the final four days of the meet, highlighted by two Grade 1, $300,000 races, the Hollywood Derby on Nov. 30 and the Matriarch on Dec. 1.

David Jerkens, the racing secretary at Del Mar, said he already had keen interest from several East Coast trainers for the turf festival. Among the horses already nominated are A Thread of Blue – the Saratoga Derby winner for Kiaran McLaughlin – for the Hollywood Derby, and Juliet Foxtrot – runner-up in the First Lady and John Mabee in her last two starts – for the Matriarch.

Juliet Foxtrot, trained by Brad Cox, worked a half-mile in 47.60 seconds on Sunday at Churchill Downs.