Despite the horse being “on the lazy side”, Phil D'Amato is confident Gold Phoenix can at least strike some of the riches on offer in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland, Kentucky, on November 5.
The four-year-old gelding won a thrilling USD $300,000 Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap over 1 ⅜ miles by a bob of the head over Master Piece for Michael McCarthy on Saturday.
Gold Phoenix – with $3.80 winning odds and star jockey Flavien Prat aboard – certainly rose to the occasion with his strong finish.
And D'Amato believes if he puts it together on the day, he can also be competitive in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Turf over 1 ½ miles.
This is despite the fact he will be a longshot in his first Grade 1 start.
“I think distance is definitely not an issue with him,” D'Amato said after Gold Phoenix's triumph.
“We always had a lot of high hopes for that horse, and today he lived up to them.”
D'Amato was full of praise for Prat, who also won the Del Mar Mile Stakes for him aboard Hong Kong Harry.
Prat finished the day with four winners, including a remarkable victory by 19 ¼ lengths on Flightline in the Pacific Classic Stakes for John Sadler.
“He (Gold Phoenix) is a little bit on the lazy side, but Flavien fits him perfectly,” D'Amato said.
“He picked him up and put him across the wire first. What a day today.
“I mean, Flightline was just amazing. And he rode him to a T.
“Good day for both of us.”
D'Amato's victory in the Del Mar Handicap marked his seventh win the Grade 2 race in the past nine years.
Earlier, Hong Kong Harry won the Del Mar Mile Stakes for him, also at Grade 2 level.
It was a superb finish after being 14 lengths behind coming into the home turn.
“Flavien was the right distance behind them, and he had him all ready to go,” D'Amato said.
“When he gathered him up, he took off.”
Hong Kong Harry likely won't go to the Breeders' Cup.
“The horse is not Breeders' Cup-nominated. So it'll be a giant stipend to get him in there,” D'Amato said.
“We'll see. Maybe, and maybe not. Maybe for now I'll probably point him at the City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita (on October 1).”