By J.N. Campbell
Formidable Man continues to be a formidable horse when it comes to his turf at the seaside oval. With his win in the GII Del Mar Mile on Saturday, the 4-year-old is now perfect in all six of his attempts over the local course.
The bay burst on the graded scene when he finished as the runner-up as a 3-year-old 24-1 shot in the GII American Turf Stakes on the Derby undercard at Churchill Downs. Coming back to Del Mar last summer–the site of his juvenile maiden-breaking debut–Formidable Man rattled off three wins in a row starting with the Oceanside Stakes that July. The Michael McCarthy trainee then took down the GII Del Mar Derby Sept. 1 and closed out his year with his first high-level victory in the GI Hollywood Derby Nov. 30.
Turning the page, the 4-year-old started his campaign being well-beaten in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream in late January. The bay rebounded to net the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita Mar. 1, but was unable to hit the board in the GI Shoemaker Mile in Arcadia May. 26. Formidable Man was last seen winning the GII Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar July 27.
The 7-5 choice here was fine and dandy with Cabo Spirit taking control shortly after the start. Formidable Man weather a touch of traffic at the rear and settled nicely into the first turn. The chalk started to move up at the half-mile marker and around the far turn he had his eye on the pacesetter. Ready to fire entering the lane, Formidable Man punched it and sailed right by the leader en route to yet another visit to the Del Mar winner's circle.
“He seems to like it here–six for six now,” said trainer Michael McCarthy. “The fractions weren't quite as brisk as I thought they would be, but it's great to see him get the turn of foot there to get the job done. We might just wait till the Breeder's Cup to see how he bounces out of this [as to where to go from here].
[Umberto Rispoli] is fantastic; same kind of ride like in the Eddie Reed–just went ahead and bided his time,” he said. “He wheeled outside and leveled off. Seemed like there was maybe a little juice in the grass to the turf today, but fantastic performance from horse and rider.”
Pedigree Notes:
Among City of Light's (by Quality Road) graded winners is of course champion Fierceness and Formidable Man, but they are also joined by the likes of Chop Chop and Battle of Normandy.
Fanticola, an Ontario-bred who won the GII Royal Heroine Stakes, is the dam of eight foals, six of whom have raced and she claims five winners. Responsible for 2-year-old filly in-training C C Fanta C (Knicks Go), a yearling filly by Jack Christopher and a weanling filly by Star Guitar, Fanticola was bred back to City of Light next season.
Clear Creek Stud purchased Formidable Man's dam for $60,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November Sale while the future SP Cc Cola (Flatter) was in-utero.
Saturday, Del Mar
DEL MAR MILE S.-GII, $300,500, Del Mar, 8-30, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:34.20, fm.
1–FORMIDABLE MAN, 126, c, 4, by City of Light
1st Dam: Fanticola (GSW & GISP, $561,986),
by Silent Name (Jpn)
2nd Dam: Catalina Cat, by Tabasco Cat
3rd Dam: Irish Dear, by Irish River (Fr)
($375,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-William K. Warren, Jr. and Suzanne Warren; B-Town & Country Horse Farms, LLC (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy; J-Umberto Rispoli. $180,000. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 15-8-2-0, $1,165,425. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Almendares (GB), 122, g, 5, Havana Grey (GB)–Glace (Ire), by Verglas (Ire). (16,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; 14,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano; B-D. R. TUCKER (GB); T-Philip D'Amato. $60,000.
3–Cabo Spirit, 122, g, 6, Pioneerof the Nile–Fancy Day (Ire), by Shamardal. ($145,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP; $575,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Kretz Racing LLC; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-George Papaprodromou. $36,000.
Margins: 1HF, HD, 3 1/4. Odds: 1.40, 4.50, 4.80.
Also Ran: Zio Jo, Suchet (Fr), King of Gosford (GB). Scratched: Full Serrano (Arg), Nesso's Lastharrah.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
#4 FORMIDABLE MAN ($4.80) absolutely loves the turf at @DelMarRacing as he is now a perfect 6 for 6 after taking the $300,000 Del Mar Mile (G2). The son Of City of Light (@LanesEndFarms) was ridden by @umbyrispoli and is trained by @mwmracing. pic.twitter.com/ToSsHcosKR
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) August 30, 2025
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