Grade 1 winner gold phoenix got back on the beam Saturday when gutting out a narrow victory in the $200,000 Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2) on Saturday at Santa Anita.
Gold Phoenix (5-1), who ran poorly in last month’s American (G3) when returning from a five-month layoff, received a ground-saving trip under hot-riding Kyle Frey and prevailed in a three-horse photo. Stablemate Prince Abama, a 13-1 outsider with Geovanni Franco in the irons, finished a head back in second with 2-1 favorite Planetario another neck back in third.
Trained by Phil D’Amato, Gold Phoenix completed 1 1/4 miles on firm turf in 2:00.91. D’Amato on Saturday was at Churchill Downs where he saddled Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Stronghold to a seventh-place finish in the Kentucky Derby.
Balladeer (8-1) and Drayden Van Dyke showed the way with Gold Phoenix tracking in third on the rail. Both Planetario and Prince Abama lagged at the rear of the field as Balladeer set fractions of 24.14, 48.31, 1:13.61 and 1:37.26 for the opening mile.
When the field reached the quarter pole, Gold Phoenix was angled out by Frey and challenged Balladeer with the closers in hot pursuit. In the final sixteenth, Gold Phoenix called on his Grade 1 class and dug in gamely to earn his fifth career graded-stakes win.
For Frey, this was his seventh graded-stakes win and second since 2018. He entered Saturday’s action as the leading rider at the Santa Anita Hollywood Meet.
“This means everything to me,” Frey said from the winner’s circle. “Especially with my family here. God has really taken me a long way and I’m just grateful and eager to see what else is in store.”
Gold Phoenix, who was fourth in last year’s Whittingham and third in 2022, returned $13.80, $6.00 and $3.80 as a slight overlay. Prince Abama returned $10.00 and $6.40. Planetario, ridden by Hector Berrios for trainer Richard Mandella, paid $2.60 to show.
Gold Phoenix was exiting a ninth-place finish in the American going a mile on turf April 4 at Santa Anita. That was his first start since finishing fourth Nov. 4 in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita.
Bred in Ireland, Gold Phoenix is a 6-year-old gelding by Belardo. He made one start in his native country before arriving with D’Amato ahead of the 2021-22 Santa Anita winter-spring meet.
Last year, Gold Phoenix won the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1) at Santa Anita and both the Del Mar Handicap (G2) and Eddie Read (G2) at Del Mar. He also won the Del Mar Handicap in 2022.
Gold Phoenix is owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Sterling Stables and Marsha Naify. He is 19: 7-3-3 with $1,342,257 in earnings.
With the win, Gold Phoenix earns an automatic berth plus travel incentives for the historic Coral-Eclipse Stakes (G1) at Sandown Park on July 6. The reward is part of a partnership recently announced between 1/ST Racing and the British Jockey Club.
