The $300,000 Del Mar Handicap (G2), for 3-year-olds and up at 1 3/8 miles on Del Mar’s Jimmy Durante turf course, serves as a Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
In this year’s renewal, which is being contested for the 87th time, a field of 11 will line up and face the starter.
The main storyline for this summer feature is Gold Phoenix (5-2), an 8-year-old gelding trained by Phil D’Amato seeking an unprecedented fifth straight win in this race. The multi-millionaire, who was fifth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup, is having a solid 2026 with three wins from five starts and his last two in graded company, including the Eddie Read Stakes (G2) over this course last month. The Ireland-bred son of Balardo typically races off the pace, saving ground and sitting just off the leaders before unleashing a powerful late kick in the stretch. He thrives at this exact trip and course and is the one to beat.
Test Score (3-1), a 4-year-old Lookin At Lucky colt for trainer H. Graham Motion, is a high-class shipper with Grade 1 wins in the 2025 Belmont Derby and 2026 Pegasus World Cup Turf, coming off a dismal sixth in the Arlington Million (G1) at Colonial Downs earlier this month.
He finished a troubled third in the 2025 Hollywood Derby over this course and was second in the TAA Stakes here in 2024 as a juvenile, and this trip, jockey Juan Hernandez hopes to stay out of trouble and improve on those efforts. He has a tactical turn of foot and can press the pace or close effectively.
Atitlan (6-1), a 5-year-old trained by Richard Mandella, finished third here last year and after nearly a year off came back for a flat fourth in the Wickerr Stakes here last month. The winner of the 2025 Charles Whittingham (G2) and San Luis Rey Stakes (G3) is a versatile closer who can sit mid-pack or drop farther back before making a sustained run. His recent works at Del Mar have been sharp and show he’s returning to fitness. Keep an eye on the tote board for an exotics play.
British-bred Mondego (6-1) won this year’s Whittingham back in May and was most recently a flat seventh in the Eddie Read. The 6-year-old Lope De Vega gelding, trained by Michael McCarthy, is an otherwise consistent turf router who often races prominently or just off the pace. He also won the San Marcos Stakes (G2) back in February and has placed in several other graded events this year. The 1 3/8-mile distance suits him well, as does jockey Antonio Fresu.
Packs a Wahlop (10-1) showed a strong late run when second in the Charles Whittingham last year and returns to graded company after a series of allowance efforts and a win wearing a $40,000 price tag earlier this year. He carries a win into the race, but may need a career effort to beat the top choices. The John Sadler trainee typically settles mid-pack and finishes strong down the lane.
Nitti (12-1), a 5-year-old Ireland-bred Make Believe gelding now with Antonio Garcia, is a pronounced closer who rallied from last to win the 2025 San Juan Capistrano (G3) at 1 ¾ miles in his only stakes appearance and has not raced since. He’s been training well here and should appreciate the distance, his question mark being how he’ll fire off the extended break. Victor Espinoza has the mount.
Flashiest (12-1), the 8-year-old trained by Leonard Powell, was a decent fourth in the Belmont Gold Cup (G2) at Saratoga 2 ½ months ago. Though he has multiple graded stakes placings, he hasn’t won in a while and seems overmatched here. He often contests the pace or presses from just off it.
After a fifth in allowance company in his American debut at Santa Anita in June 2025, French import Maaz (15-1) earned a respectable fourth in the listed La Jolla Handicap over this course a year ago. His best career effort has been a second in the Twilight Derby (G3) at 1⅛ miles, beaten 1½ lengths by Test Score late last year, and then a no-excuse seventh in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby, though the saddle reportedly slipped. In one race since, he was sixth here in allowance company last month, and he has never won beyond a mile on turf and already failed at this exact 1⅜-mile distance last September. His preferred style is to settle mid-pack or farther back and make one run.
California-bred Old Pal (12-1) is another who can race forwardly and be part of the pace scenario. The Mark Glatt trainee has some state-bred stakes success; this jump may be too much.
Atomic Age (20-1) is a developing 4-year-old making his stakes debut. The Justify colt, who has only had a couple of starts a year since his debut two years ago, has shown tactical speed and a good finish in allowance company. He’s the “other” D’Amato runner, so he should not be discounted, especially on exotics.
Santa Barbarian (30-1), a California-bred 4-year-old Bodexpress gelding for Ryan Hanson, is a late runner who sprung a 43-1 upset in the 2025 Snow Chief Stakes after breaking his maiden. He has shown improvement stretching out on turf and will try to pick up pieces late under Tiago Pereira, though this jump in class seems monstrous.
Post time is 9:43 p.m. ET.
| # | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Barbarian (CA) | T J Pereira | R Hanson | 30/1 |
| 2 | Test Score (KY) | J J Hernandez | H G Motion | 3/1 |
| 3 | Nitti (IRE) | V Espinoza | A C Garcia | 12/1 |
| 4 | Gold Phoenix (IRE) | H I Berrios | P D'Amato | 5/2 |
| 5 | Atomic Age (KY) | K Kimura | P D'Amato | 20/1 |
| 6 | Maaz (FR) | R Gonzalez | M W McCarthy | 15/1 |
| 7 | Atitlan (KY) | U Rispoli | R E Mandella | 6/1 |
| 8 | Mondego (GB) | A Fresu | M W McCarthy | 6/1 |
| 9 | Old Pal (CA) | J Rosario | M Glatt | 12/1 |
| 10 | Flashiest (KY) | A Ayuso | L Powell | 12/1 |
| 11 | Packs a Wahlop (KY) | E Jaramillo | J W Sadler | 10/1 |
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
