Del Mar Handicap

The effort that goes into winning one race--at any level--is tremendous. Winning the same graded race four years in a row? That's the stuff of Hollywood. And yet veteran Gold Phoenix (Ire) (g, 8, Belardo {Ire}--Magnifica, by Mizzen Mast) showed once again why he is the GII Del Mar Handicap's leading man Saturday, winning for the fourth consecutive year and earning a 'Win and You're In' berth to the GI Breeders' Cup Turf over this course Nov. 1. GSW Stay Hot (Summer Front) finished second, while MGSW Atitlan (The Factor)...

When 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) went wire-to-wire to take out the 2023 GI Pacific Classic, it made trainer Bob Baffert the winningest trainer in the relatively short history of the event with seven winners, surpassing the late Bobby Frankel. The Hall of Fame conditioner will have every chance to extend that record when he sends out fellow 'Rising Star' Nysos (Nyquist) in a compelling renewal of the 10-furlong feature Saturday afternoon, with an all-expenses-paid trip to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic over the same course and distance...

Just a quarter hour after Idea Generation (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) lulled the GII Flower Bowl Stakes field to sleep at Saratoga, Dicey Mo Chara (GB) (Adaay {Ire}) tried the same tactics on the other coast in the GII Del Mar Handicap, but didn't have the same head of steam afforded the Saratoga winner and found a late dogfight instead. Favored Gold Phoenix (Ire) (g, 6, Belardo {Ire}--Magnifica, by Mizzen Mast) "loves to fight," according to rider Kyle Frey, and kicked it into high gear late to run down the pacesetter,...