NEWS
Dakota Phone reels in San Diego score
Posted: Saturday, July 31, 2010 10:20 PM
DAKOTA PHONE
Benoit & Associated photo
To view the San Diego Handicap, click here.
by Mike Curry
Dakota Phone closed with a sustained bid from the outside and reeled in runner-up Battle of Hastings (GB) in the closing strides to win the $200,000 San Diego Handicap (G2) on Saturday at Del Mar.
The five-year-old Zavata gelding rallied from more than 11 lengths off the pace to win by a half-length under Joel Rosario and halt a 16-race winless stretch dating back to his victory in the Forty Niner Stakes in November 2008 at Golden Gate Fields.
“It set up just the way I hoped. The pace was fast enough and I knew he'd be closing,” Rosario said. “We were going to come from the back and today he did. He ran really well. We'll see what they do next with him."
Dakota Phone completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.55 on the synthetic Polytrack surface for his first career graded stakes win after placing in six previous graded stakes races, including a third-place finish in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) in March during his winless drought.
With the San Diego win, Dakota Phone earned a starting spot in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) on November 6 at Churchill Downs via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series. Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, who co-owns the bay gelding with John Carver, Halo Farms, and George Todaro, Dakota Phone improved to five wins, seven seconds, and seven thirds from 29 starts and earnings of $583,810.
"He picked a good time to win,” Hollendorfer said. “We've had this horse a long time and made money but he's done it the hard way. With this win, maybe we can look at the big race [Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) on August 28].”
Dakota Phone was competitive during the winless stretch, finishing in the top three in five of his seven previous starts this season. In addition to the Big ‘Cap placing, he was third in the Berkeley Stakes (G3) in May at Golden Gate Fields and second in the San Antonio Handicap (G2) in February at Santa Anita Park.
Bred in Kentucky by Cashmark Farms and Dakota Stables, Dakota Phone is out of the winning Spinning World mare World of Gold.
Battle of Hastings ran gamely in defeat, charging from eighth in the nine-horse field and just missing under Joe Talamo. Battle of Hastings won the Virginia Derby (G2) and Colonial Turf Cup Stakes (G2) last year but is winless in four starts this season.
Enriched finished 2 1/4 lengths behind Battle of Hastings in third after setting a strong pace through an opening quarter in :23.36 and a half-mile in :47.14.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
