Veteran Gold Phoenix Kicks Off Campaign Against Deep Cast In Saturday’s Grade III San Marcos

By Victor Ryan —-

VETERAN GOLD PHOENIX KICKS OFF CAMPAIGN AGAINST DEEP CAST IN SATURDAY’S GRADE III SAN MARCOS STAKES FOR OLDER HORSES GOING 1 ¼ MILES ON TURF AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (Feb. 9, 2026)—Multi-millionaire gelding Gold Phoenix kicks off his 8-year-old season Saturday against an accomplished group of older horses in the Grade III, $100,000 San Marcos Stakes going 1 ¼ miles on turf at Santa Anita.

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Gold Phoenix will be returning following a fifth-place finish in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 1 at Del Mar. It was Gold Phoenix’s fourth-straight year running in the Turf. Surprisingly, this will be Gold Phoenix’s first time running in the San Marcos.

Trained by Phil D’Amato, Irish-bred Gold Phoenix has banked more than $2.3 million with a record of 29: 10-3-5. He is owned by Agave Racing Stable, Little Red Feather Racing, Marsha Naify and partners. He’ll be ridden by Kazushi Kimura, who was aboard for his Grade I Frank E. Kilroe Mile victory in 2023.

Trainer Jonathan Thomas has two entered including Truly Quality, who in November at Del Mar won the GII Hollywood Turf Cup for the second year in a row. Following his latest win in the Turf Cup, Truly Quality was shipped to Sam Houston Park for last month’s John B. Connally Turf Cup and finished third as the odds-on favorite going 1 ½ miles.

Truly Quality, a 6-year-old gelding by Quality Road, races as a homebred for George Strawbridge’s Augustin Stable. He enters with a record of 17: 6-4-4 and $656,670 in earnings. He’ll have Mike Smith aboard.

Stay Hot and Mondego both exit the GIII San Gabriel on Dec. 28 at Santa Anita.

Stay Hot, trained by Peter Eurton, finished fourth as the favorite in the San Gabriel going 1 1/8 miles on turf. He has been limited to minor awards in five straight graded stakes since winning the Texas Turf Classic at Lone Star Park in June.

A 5-year-old horse by Summer Front, Stay Hot is owned by Exline-Border Racing, Burns Racing, The Estate of Brereton C. Jones and partners. Stay Hot is 19: 6-5-2 with $737,660 in earnings. He’ll have Juan Hernandez aboard.

Mondego finished one spot ahead of Stay Hot in the San Gabriel in third. He is seeking a first stakes win for trainer Michael McCarthy, who won this race last year with There Goes Harvard. Owned by Cheyenne Stable, the English-bred 6-year-old gelding is 18: 3-1-3 with $347,047 in earnings. He’ll be ridden by Emisael Jaramillo for the first time.

THE GRADE III SAN MARCOS WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS

IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 9 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

Endlessly—Ricky Gonzalez—124
Smooth Salute—Victor Espinoza—120
Grogu—Diego Herrera—120
Truly Quality—Mike Smith—124
Mondego—Emisael Jaramillo—120
Twirling Point—Antonio Fresu—122
Stay Hot—Juan Hernandez—124
Flashiest—Armando Ayuso—122
Gold Phoenix—Kazushi Kimura—124
Amplitude—Hector Berrios—120

First post Saturday is 12:30 p.m. PT.

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