Jonathan Thomas was making his approach from the Del Mar saddling ring to the grandstand tunnel when a person in a tweed cap and quilted grey jacket got here alongside with an outstretched hand. Nonetheless aglow from successful the Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (G2T) a half hour earlier with Augustin Stables’ Actually High quality , Thomas was solely too comfortable to just accept one other kudos.
“I am Dick Mandella,” the person stated, which, at a California racetrack, is sort of like John Lennon introducing himself in downtown London.
Thomas was duly impressed, {that a} Corridor of Famer would exit of his option to welcome the relative newcomer to West Coast racing at that exact second, freed from cameras or microphones.
“You want no introduction,” Thomas replied, as Mandella praised Actually High quality’s efficiency because the 8-to-5 alternative.
The Corridor of Famer was conversant in the accomplishment. The Turf Cup was first run in 1981 at Hollywood Park, attracting a minimum of John Henry on the finish of his first Horse of the 12 months marketing campaign. Mandella gained a division of the 1982 Turf Cup with The Hague, a 3-year-old homebred from Elmendorf Farm, gained a second Turf Cup in 1999 with Lazy Lode for The Thoroughbred Corp, and a 3rd in 2006 with Boboman for the Wertheimer brothers.
The Turf Cup fell from grade 1 grace in 2012, then misplaced its dwelling with the closure of Hollywood Park. Picked up by Del Mar, the race turned fashionable with japanese stables unopposed to sending a mile and a half grass horse to San Diego in late November. Nonetheless, they needed to take care of Mandella, who gained the 2023 Turf Cup with Brazil’s Planetario for Pink Rafa Stud.
In 1982, every division of the Turf Cup was price $400,000. The gross purse for the 2024 model, run the day after Thanksgiving, was $202,000. A rearward inflation adjustment reveals that in 1982, the equal quantity would have been about $62,000, generally supplied on the time for a minor weekday stakes.
However that approach lies insanity. Dwelling on the regular erosion of California distance racing on the grass is a miserable pastime. If a horse like Actually High quality sticks round for the 2025 season at Santa Anita Park, his individuals can be compelled to decide on among the many $100,000 San Marcos Stakes (G3T) at a 1 1/4 miles Feb. 8, the $100,000 San Luis Rey Stakes (G3T) at 1 1/2 miles March 22, the $200,000 Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2T) at a 1 1/4 miles Could 3, or the $100,000 San Juan Capistrano Stakes (G3T) at 1 3/4 miles June 15. Or, why hassle.
“Proper now, for this horse it is not in regards to the purses,” Thomas stated. “It is his growth into the sort of horse we predict he could possibly be. This race match, and I believe he is getting there.”
Now on a three-race stakes streak, Actually High quality is a really massive boy, a coming 5-year-old with a reluctance to play by anybody else’s guidelines. At Del Mar, the Thomas crew saddled him whereas strolling across the ring, as jockey Vincent Cheminaud stood patiently, questioning what shock his gelding might need in retailer.
“That is him,” Thomas stated. “I am going to college him and attempt to make him do one thing flawed, and he is positive. Then we now have to do it his approach. That is okay, however right this moment I actually would relatively he hadn’t come off the bridle midway by the race.”
Coach Jonathan Thomas provides his son a smooch as they await Actually High quality and jockey Vincent Cheminaud to return to the winner’s circle after the Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar
It was at that time within the Turf Cup Cheminaud went to using just like the wire was in sight. Up within the stands, Phil D’Amato was watching his threesome maneuver down the backstretch for the ultimate flip led by Divin Propos , with Rockemperor and Balnikhov poised from behind. Then D’Amato glanced at Cheminaud the favourite.
“You have to give him credit score,” D’Amato stated. “The child by no means stopped using.”
Whereas Cheminaud pumped away, Balnikhov, an Irish gelding with greater than $1 million earned over 30 begins, was in full flight beneath Kazushi Kimura, closing from final and clipping the highest of the course alongside the lengthy, lumbering strides of Actually High quality. With half a furlong to run, Balnikhov had the lead and the momentum. Then Actually High quality discovered a distinct tempo and glided previous to win by half a size.
“My horse ran an enormous race,” D’Amato stated. “I nonetheless cannot imagine he received beat.”
D’Amato’s fleet of grade 2 and three former Europeans normally dominates the California turf scene for older horses. However then comes the autumn pageant at Del Mar, when administration aggressively hustles main stables within the East and Midwest to bolster races just like the Turf Cup, and the hometown gamers find yourself enjoying second or third fiddle.
“It’s a little disappointing,” D’Amato stated. “However that is sort of how California is now. They need a very good stakes card for the bettors, I perceive. I am pleased with my horse, although, and that is a pleasant horse who beat him. He gained a graded stakes in Canada, which proves good type for the Turf Cup. Going ahead, I believe we might have answered the query that Balnikhov can run as much as a mile and a half.”
Balnikhov already proved he can journey. After successful Del Mar’s listed Oceanside Stakes at 3, he has change into the final word highway warrior, successful graded stakes at Keeneland, Golden Gate Fields, and in Could at Pimlico Race Course within the Dinner Celebration Stakes (G3T). Now, with Actually High quality as a measuring stick, D’Amato is likely to be wanting on the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) Jan. 25 Gulfstream Park, at 1 1/8 miles.
“I have not run a lot at Gulfstream,” D’Amato stated. “I’ll quiz some jockeys like (Flavien) Prat and (Frankie) Dettori in regards to the Gulfstream turf whereas they’re out right here this week and determine if that is one thing we’d go after.”
D’Amato is a measure twice, reduce as soon as sort of coach who not often leaves city with out a likelihood. Except the Bob Baffert steady, D’Amato perennially leads all California trainers in steady earnings, and at the moment sits twelfth within the nation, simply behind Invoice Mott and Christophe Clement, Jonathan Thomas’s former boss.
D’Amato will attempt to finish the season on a excessive be aware within the Malibu Stakes (G1) on Santa Anita’s opening day, Dec. 26, with the return of Stronghold . When final seen in Southern California, the son of Ghostzapper gained the Santa Anita Derby (G1) by a neck from the Baffert colt Creativeness . Since then, Stronghold was seventh within the Kentucky Derby (G1) and second in each the Indiana Derby (G3) and Pennsylvania Derby (G1).
Stronghold wins the Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park
“I’ve shipped him in every single place this 12 months,” the coach stated. “He’d misplaced somewhat little bit of weight after the Parx race, so the thought was to present him a freshening. He is fairly match now, and we have got 4 works mapped out to get him to the Malibu and provides him an opportunity at one other grade 1 win.”
For the reason that Malibu was first run in 1952, solely three horses have taken a Santa Anita Derby-Malibu double, most not too long ago Taiba in 2022. Ready for Stronghold this time could possibly be yet one more invader—Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan .
“That is the sort of competitors you must take care of to win a grade 1 race,” D’Amato stated. “There will probably be a lot of good horses and loads of velocity, which ought to flatter our horse’s fashion. It must be enjoyable to search out out.”