D’Amato pair eyeing Pegasus Cup Turf

DEL MAR, Calif. – Say the Word, winner of the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Stakes on Oct. 18 at Woodbine, and Count Again, who won Saturday’s Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar, are under consideration for the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational on Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park or the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes on Jan. 30 at Santa Anita, trainer Phil D’Amato said Sunday.

Say the Word finished third in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup on Thursday at Del Mar in his first start for D’Amato. Count Again had his debut for the stable Saturday. A share in both runners was acquired in October by Agave Racing from existing owner Sam-Son Farm.

The $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf is run at 1 3/16 miles, while the $200,000 San Marcos is run at 1 1/4 miles on turf.

“I would say one or both could possibly be candidates for the Pegasus and San Marcos,” D’Amato said Sunday. “Those are the sort of races I’d be eyeing.”

Count Again closed from last in a field of 12 to reach the front in the final sixteenth of the Seabiscuit Handicap, run at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

“Count Again galloped out very strongly, giving me the impression an extra eighth of a mile won’t be an issue,” D’Amato said.

Say the Word was beaten a length by Arklow, closing from last in a field of 10 under jockey Flavien Prat.

Parnelli may run in Sham

Parnelli is likely to have his stakes debut in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes for 3-year-olds on Jan. 2 at Santa Anita after winning a maiden special weight race in his fourth start Saturday at Del Mar.

Trained by John Shirreffs for Lee and Susan Searing’s C R K Stable, Parnelli ($2.60) was always near the front in the one-mile maiden race and pulled clear to win by 5 3/4 lengths under jockey Drayden Van Dyke.

“I thought it was a really good race,” Shirreffs said. “I was pleased he was on the outside. Drayden was able to get him to relax.

“We’ll have to see how he is in the next 10 days and plan something for his 3-year-old campaign.”

Shirreffs said he plans to pass the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 19 with Parnelli.

The $100,000 Sham Stakes at a mile is the first stakes for 3-year-olds of 2021 at the Santa Anita winter-spring campaign, leading to the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 3.

Parnelli, by Quality Road, was purchased for $500,000 as a yearling at Keeneland in September 2019.

Medication, riding penalties

Trainers Bob Baffert and Val Brinkerhoff were sanctioned by Del Mar stewards Sunday for medication violations involving their runners in the last 16 months.

Baffert was fined $2,500 after Merneith tested positive for the prohibited medication dextromethorphan, a Class 4 drug, in a post-race test taken after a second-place finish in the fourth race July 25 at Del Mar.

Brinkerhoff has been suspended 45 days and fined $3,000 after Girl Can Partie tested positive for the prohibited medication metaproterenol, a bronchodilator similar to clenbuterol and a Class 3 drug, after winning the seventh race on Aug. 1, 2019, at Del Mar. The suspension runs from Dec. 7 to Jan. 21, according a ruling issued Sunday. During that time, Brinkerhoff cannot attend the races or be present in the stables.

The sanction included a penalty for possession of a syringe found in an inspection of Brinkerhoff’s truck. Brinkerhoff said in a text message Sunday that the syringe was needed as a precaution for colic during a two-day trip while transporting a horse from Emerald Downs to Del Mar in August 2019. Brinkerhoff said he does not plan an appeal.

Brinkerhoff also was given two official warnings for incidents in August 2019 in which his horses tested positive for the prohibited steroid testosterone after a race or in out-of-competition testing. The warnings were part of negotiated agreements between Brinkerhoff and the California Horse Racing Board, according to rulings published Sunday.

Jockeys Irad Ortiz and Eswan Flores have been given three-day suspensions for riding infractions Saturday at Del Mar.

Ortiz was cited for his winning ride on Fluffy Socks in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes for 2-year-olds fillies. Fluffy Socks drifted out on the turn, causing Consternation to be checked. In a ruling issued Sunday, the Del Mar stewards faulted Ortiz for altering course without sufficient clearance.

The suspension covers racing on Dec. 6 and Dec. 10-11. Through Sunday, Ortiz led all riders in the nation in purse earnings.

Flores was given a three-day suspension on the same racing days for using his whip more than twice in succession in Saturday’s sixth race on Big Bad Gary, who was last of 11 in a $14,000 to $16,000 claimer. Flores was cited for his fifth such violation in the last 60 days.