Phil D'Amato

Trainer Phil D'Amato saddles a pair of live contenders in Saturday's GIII Jimmy Durante S. at Del Mar. Making one start in Europe before joining D'Amato's barn, Helens Well (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) broke her maiden at Del Mar Aug. 15 and finished second in both the Sept. 5 Juvenile Fillies Turf S. in SoCal and the Oct. 3 Surfer Girl S. at Santa Anita. She enters off an eighth-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf S. Nov. 5. D'Amato also saddles Virulente (Fr) (Al Wukair {Ire}),...

'TDN Rising Star' Ain't Easy (f, 2, Into Mischief--Ameristralia {Aus}, by Fastnet Rock {Aus}) put on a show to remain unbeaten while punching her ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in Friday's 'Win and You're In' GII Chandelier S. at Santa Anita. Electric Ride (Daredevil), a runaway debut winner at Del Mar Aug. 28, was second; second out Del Mar maiden winner Desert Dawn (Cupid) was third. Heavily favored GI TVG Del Mar Debutante S. heroine Grace Adler (Curlin) never factored while fifth. Ain't Easy, a sharp 5...

Grace Adler (Curlin) looks to take her record to three-for-three and provide Hall of Famer Bob Baffert with his 12th victory in Santa Anita's GII Chandelier S. Friday, a "Win and You're in Event" for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in November. A debut winner at Del Mar July 31, the $700,000 FTKSEL purchase already secured her spot in the gate for the World Championships with a dominant late-running score in the Sept. 5 GI Del Mar Debutante S., which she won by 11 1/4 lengths over Dance to...

Little Red Feather Racing's Elm Drive (Mohaymen) and Baoma Corporation's Eda (Munnings), who were separated by just a head after battling the length of the stretch in the GIII Sorrento S. Aug. 6, renew their rivalry in the GI TVG Del Mar Debutante Sunday. Elm Drive, trained by Phil D'Amato, romped by eight lengths in her five-furlong debut at Los Alamitos June 26 and refused to let Eda by when winning the six-furlong Sorrento. Eda has yet to finish in front in her two-race career. The Bob Baffert trainee inherited...

Going Global (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) was given a letter-perfect steer from the in-form Flavien Prat and outkicked an unlucky Closing Remarks (Vronsky) to salute in Saturday's GI Del Mar Oaks. Looking to avenge her defeat at the hands of Madone (Vancouver {Aus}) in the GII San Clemente S., Going Global was off without incident from gate three and took up a mid-field position as Javanica (Medaglia d'Oro) led at a moderate tempo from 60-1 Feathers (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Ivy League (Medaglia d'Oro) into the first turn. Switched off nicely...

   Ain't Easy (Into Mischief) was given an 8-1 chance in this debut and will certainly be a much lower price next out after a 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy victory. The bay settled on the fence in mid-pack through a :21.98 opening quarter and improved her position turning for home. She overtook favored Keychain Girl (Practical Joke) in early stretch and powered clear with ease to win for fun by 5 1/4 lengths. The winner is the 26th 'TDN Rising Star' for Spendthrift super sire Into Mischief and the second of...

The streaking Going Global (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) looks to make it five straight wins in Saturday's GIII Honeymoon S. at Santa Anita. A handicap winner at Dundalk in November 2020, Going Global is a perfect three-for-three at a variety of distances on these shores for Phil D'Amato, including the six-furlong GIII Sweet Life S. Feb. 14, the one-mile China Doll S. Mar. 6 and the GIII Providencia S. going 1 1/8 miles last time Apr. 3. "Going Global proved last time a mile and an eighth wasn't a problem," D'Amato...

Going Global (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) made an impressive U.S. debut for trainer Phil D'Amato by taking Sunday's GIII Sweet Life S. at Santa Anita. Formerly trained by Mick Halford in Ireland, the 3-year-old filly was purchased privately this winter in a deal structured by BBA Ireland's Michael Donohoe and Niall Dalton. Gary King caught up with Donohoe on Monday morning to chat about the win. GK: What attracted you to Going Global? MD: Her first run at Limerick really caught my eye and Niall's [Dalton]. We liked her action and...

The Phil D'Amato barn continued its hot streak with European imports in turf sprints as Going Global (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) uncorked a powerful rally to take Sunday's GIII Sweet Life S. at Santa Anita. Fourth in her best of three turf tries for Mick Halford in her native country, the bay broke through over seven furlongs of all-weather at Dundalk Nov. 11 before being acquired privately. She was let go at 8-1 in a full and competitive field despite her trainer's excellent numbers with European acquisitions, including four wins from...

A field of six, led by Acclimate (Acclamation) and Masteroffoxhounds (War Front), goes postward in the GII San Marcos S. Saturday at Santa Anita. The 1 1/4-mile turf race had originally been scheduled for Jan. 30, but was pushed back to avoid the winter rainstorm which hit Arcadia a week ago. Rockingham Ranch's Masteroffoxhounds will be making his third stateside appearance in the San Marcos. The bay colt, a maiden winner in Ireland last summer, was seventh going one mile in his U.S. debut last November. He powered home to...