Gold Phoenix Right At Home in Eddie Read Stakes

The precocious colts and the blistering speedballs provide their own kind of entertainment. But for the sheer joy of watching older pros mix it up like a bunch of refugees from World Wrestling Entertainment, there's nothing better than a 9-furlong throwdown like the $251,500 Eddie Read Stakes (G2T) run on a muggy July 26 afternoon at Del Mar. Gold Phoenix (IRE), the oldest and most professional veteran in the field of eight, came from last on the backstretch to run down the pacesetting runner-up Cabo Spirit and hold safe favored Formidable Man, the defending champ, to come out on top of a nose-head photo in 1:47.73 for the distance. In so doing, the 8-year-old Irish-bred son of Belardo (IRE) recorded a record sixth stakes victory at Del Mar, which includes the last four runnings of the Del Mar Handicap (G2T) and a considerably less dramatic score in the 2023 Eddie Read. At least, it was less dramatic for Phil D'Amato, who watched the younger Gold Phoenix lead three of his stablemates under the wire that day in a 1-2-3-4 sweep for the trainer. This time around, the old horse was supposedly in the Read to keep him from getting bored while awaiting a swing at a fifth straight Del Mar Handicap at the end of the meet. On top of that, Gold Phoenix was coming off a coasting win June 14 in the 14-furlong San Juan Capistrano Stakes (G3T). "Coming from a mile and three-quarters to a mile and one-eighth—you don't see that, ever," D'Amato said. "That just tells you what kind of a special horse he is. "Going in, I thought we'd come running late and be set up for the next race," D'Amato went on. "At the top of the lane I thought maybe we'll run third and get a piece of it. Then he and Formidable Man hooked up, and I could just see it in his eye. He wasn't going to let that horse pass him." In fact, it was the deep stretch challenge from Formidable Man that likely inspired Gold Phoenix to extend himself just enough to edge Cabo Spirit, who could be found in his usual running lane down the middle of the track. "That one hurt, man," said Mike Smith, Cabo Spirit's partner. "He likes to run out down the lane, but he runs better when he does. I can hold him in, but I'd just be fighting him, and he'd quit running." In the 2025 Eddie Read, Formidable Man was able to cruise through inside a drifting Cabo Spirit to enjoy a clean run to the wire and win by a length. This time around, the favorite and John Velazquez found themselves between horses at the head of the lane, waiting for Cabo Spirit to make up his mind. "That's what cost me," Velazquez said. "When Mike ended up going out, I had to squeeze back inside. I lost just enough momentum to make the difference." For his part, winning jockey Hector Berrios had to play it cool early when things got tight for Gold Phoenix at the elbow bend coming out of the chute to the main course. "He had a little tough spot, but after that he got very comfortable," said Berrios, who has now won three stakes in four tries on Gold Phoenix for the ownership team of Little Red Feather Racing and Agave Stable. "He was running perfect. And then, in the stretch, the hole opened." Gold Phoenix has now won 13 of 34 starts after taking his maiden voyage in February of 2021 at Dundalk Racetrack in County Louth, Ireland. His earnings have swelled to $2,587,087, and his faithful backers cashed this time around at $4.70 on the dollar.