Going Global, unbeatable this winter and spring at Santa Anita Park, will be heavily favored to maintain her superiority in the 3-year-old filly turf division in California when she races in the San Clemente Stakes (G2T) at Del Mar July 24.
Despite Going Global going 4-for-4 this year at Santa Anita in stakes races, the competition is not running scared Saturday. The 12-horse San Clemente lineup is the largest she has faced since she defeated 11 rivals in the Sweet Life Stakes (G3T) in her U.S. debut Feb. 14. Since then, she has dominated short fields in the China Doll Stakes, Providencia Stakes (G3T), and Honeymoon Stakes (G3T).
The May 22 Honeymoon resulted in a 4 3/4-length victory under a ground-saving trip in which she ran 1 1/8 miles on a firm turf course in 1:46.37. That race earned her a career-best 104 Equibase Speed Figure.
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"Every race has been better than her last and the timing has worked out well," said trainer Phil D'Amato. "It's a perfect combination of winning that first time, building confidence, and maintaining that confidence as we've extended the distances.
"She's always trained like a good horse and we've seen continued progression. Every morning she just seems to be moving more and more forward."
A daughter of Mehmas owned by CYBT, Michael Dubb, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig, and Ray Pagano, Going Global raced four times in Ireland last year before being sent to the United States. She overcame a slow start to win her final race at Ireland at Dundalk Nov. 11.
She appears well-drawn under Flavien Prat in post 2 in the one-mile San Clemente, which serves as a prep for the Del Mar Oaks (G1T) Aug. 21.
For all their achievements in Southern California, neither Prat nor D'Amato has yet won the San Clemente.
The race, 10th of 11 at Del Mar Saturday, also drew last-out winners Freedom Flyer, Tetragonal, Equilove, Dramatizer, and Nimbostratus. D'Amato also trains Strand Beach's Equilove.
Dramatizer and another entrant, the twice stakes-placed Karakatsie, are newcomers to the California circuit, having raced most recently in Kentucky and Florida, respectively.
SF Racing's Nimbostratus makes her first start for trainer Leonard Powell after he claimed her for $150,000 from an allowance optional claiming race that she won at Santa Anita May 22. She twice placed in stakes earlier in her career, third to San Clemente entrant Madone in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf Stakes last fall and third to Going Global in the Sweet Life Stakes over the winter.
Trainer Simon Callaghan, like D'Amato, has two San Clemente starters: Madone and Freedom Flyer.
Richard Baltas, who has trained two San Clemente winners, conditions Tetragonal.
Del Mar, Saturday, July 24, 2021, Race 10Entries: San Clemente S. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Pizzazz (KY) Kyle Frey 120 Richard E. Mandella 12/1 2 2Going Global (IRE) Flavien Prat 123 Philip D'Amato 4/5 3 3Founder's Day (KY) Geovanni Franco 118 Robert B. Hess, Jr. 30/1 4 4Freedom Flyer (KY) Victor Espinoza 120 Simon Callaghan 30/1 5 5Tetragonal (IRE) Joe Bravo 120 Richard Baltas 8/1 6 6Equilove (IRE) Ricardo Gonzalez 120 Philip D'Amato 20/1 7 7Jibber Jabber (IRE) Umberto Rispoli 118 Patrick Gallagher 15/1 8 8Dramatizer (KY) Edwin A. Maldonado 118 Robert B. Hess, Jr. 30/1 9 9Madone (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 123 Simon Callaghan 4/1 10 10Karakatsie (KY) Kent J. Desormeaux 118 Armando De la cerda 10/1 11 11Nimbostratus (FR) Abel Cedillo 120 Leonard Powell 12/1 98 12Closing Remarks (CA) SCRATCHED 0 UNKNOWN -
