Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Dettori picks up Big Cap ride for D’Amato on Newgrange
ARCADIA, Calif. – Frankie Dettori, who won four races on Saturday at Santa Anita, will ride Newgrange for the first time in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 4.
Dettori replaces Juan Hernandez, who is scheduled to ride the multiple stakes winner Defunded in the $500,000 Big Cap at 1 1/4 miles.
Defunded was second in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at 1 1/8 miles on Jan. 28 at Gulfstream Park. On the same day, Newgrange won the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita.
On Sunday, Dettori worked Newgrange six furlongs in 1:13.20 for trainer Phil D’Amato.
“He does what you ask him to do,” Dettori said. “I got a feel for him. He’s a good stayer.”
Prior to the workout, Dettori and D’Amato watched a video of Newgrange’s win in the San Pasqual, when the colt stalked the pace, fell back slightly on the turn, and rallied to win by a length.
Newgrange worked in company with the 4-year-old filly Desert Dawn, who is scheduled to have her 2023 debut in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile on dirt for fillies and mares on March 11.
Desert Dawn has not raced since she finished second in the Grade 3 Torrey Pines Stakes at a mile at Del Mar last September. Earlier in 2022, Desert Dawn won the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks and was third in the Kentucky Oaks.
In Sunday’s workout, Desert Dawn started ahead of Newgrange and finished evenly, D’Amato said.
“They galloped out together,” D’Amato said.
Securing Dettori for Newgrange was an easy decision, D’Amato said.
“The man is on fire,” D’Amato said. “He has a world of experience on turf, dirt, and synthetic and everything in between. We were lucky to get him.”
Dettori is riding at Santa Anita this winter in his final year in the saddle. Well known for his worldwide success since the early 1990s, Dettori is retiring in the fall. Through Saturday, Dettori had 18 wins at the meeting, ranking second to clear leader Juan Hernandez with 37.
Dettori, 52, will not ride at Santa Anita next weekend. He is scheduled to ride in Saudi Arabia on Friday and Saturday and will return to Santa Anita for the March 3 program. Dettori is expected to remain at Santa Anita until early April through the Santa Anita Derby program on April 8 before he returns to England.
The main race in Saudi Arabia on Saturday is the $20 million Saudi Cup. Dettori rides Country Grammer, a 6-year-old horse he knows well. Dettori rode Country Grammer to a win in the $12 million Dubai World Cup last March and a win in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.
San Felipe for ‘Geaux Rocket’
The exciting maiden race winner Geaux Rocket Ride is on schedule for his stakes debut in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on March 4 at Santa Anita.
On Saturday at Santa Anita, Geaux Rocket Ride worked five furlongs in 1:00.40, his secondto-last major exercise before the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes.
“Everything we see is good,” trainer Richard Mandella said. “It was a handy work.”
Owned by Pin Oak Stud, Geaux Rocket Ride won his debut in a maiden race at six furlongs by 5 3/4 lengths on Jan. 28, leading throughout under jockey Flavien Prat. Geaux Rocket Ride was timed in a sharp 1:09.52, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 92.
The San Felipe Stakes is a key prep for the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 8.
Mandella is resting three of his stakes winners – Big City Lights, Ice Dancing, and Lane Way.
Big City Lights was second by a neck in the California Cup Sprint for statebreds on Jan. 7.
“He’ll get a couple of months off,” Mandella said.
Lane Way, winner of the Clockers’ Corner Stakes for turf sprinters on Jan. 29, “has a little problem behind,” Mandella said.
Ice Dancing, winner of the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs on Jan. 8, is scheduled to undergo surgery to have a bone chip removed from an ankle.
The injury was diagnosed after Ice Dancing was found to have swelling in an ankle following a workout on Feb. 12, Mandella said.