Gold Phoenix (IRE)

Gold Phoenix, an Irish-bred Belardo gelding, won his debut on an all-weather track in Ireland in February 2021 and was then sent to the U.S. and trainer Phil D’Amato. He lost his debut in January 2022 by a half-length at Santa Anita Park and finished second again in a race on Santa Anita Park’s downhill turf course in March but broke through with his first U.S. win in a one-mile allowance-optional claiming race on April 2 at Santa Anita. He then made his stakes debut in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes and rallied to finish third by 1 ¾ lengths.

The gelding finished second and third in his next two races at Santa Anita and Del Mar. Finally, he put it all together at a most opportune time, rallying six wide to just get up at the finish and defeat Master Piece by a head to win the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap Presented by Japan Racing Association on Sept. 3 at Del Mar. Gold Phoenix earned a “Win and You’re In” berth to the 2022 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf with the victory.

Subsequently in his next outing in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf on Nov. 5 at Keeneland, Gold Phoenix settled for a 10th-place finish.

Gold Phoenix came back to begin his 5-year-old campaign on March 4, 2023, at Santa Anita in the Grade 1 $500,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile. Racing at the shorter-than-usual distance for him, Gold Phoenix was sent off at 10-1 odds on the tote board in a field of eight and ran much of the race in the back half of a compact field. He then kicked into gear as the field turned for home and came with a strong late surge in deep stretch to get the lead. He then held off a last-second bid by Du Jour to win by a neck in a time of 1:34.45 over a turf course labeled good.

The gelding finished fourth and seventh in his next two stakes tries in spring 2023, both at Santa Anita Park. On July 30, Gold Phoenix resurfaced at Del Mar for the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes, and with red-hot jockey Hector Berrios in the irons, he tallied his third career graded stakes win by three-quarters of a length.

Gold Phoenix returned to Del Mar for his next start on Sept. 2 and won the Grade 2 $300,000 Del Mar Handicap for the second straight year. Racing near the back of an 11-horse field after breaking from post 10, Gold Phoenix moved into contention on the turn and blew past the field en route to a 1 1/4-length win in a 1 3/8 miles winning time of 2:15.34 over firm turf. The Del Mar Handicap was a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series “win and you're in” qualifying race for the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf to be held on Nov. 4, 2023, at Santa Anita. Subsequently in the Breeders' Cup Turf, Gold Phoenix finished a respectable fourth.

Gold Phoenix was back in the winners' circle again as a 6-year-old the following spring when victorious in the Grade 2 Charles Wittingham Stakes May 4, 2024, at Santa Anita.

Gold Phoenix returned to Del Mar for the summer of 2024 and after finishing an unfortunate seventh when buried in traffic in the stretch in the Grade 2 Eddie Read on July 28, Gold Phoenix was at it again to do what he does best when winning the Grade 2 $300,000 Del Mar Handicap for the third straight year. Sent off this time as the 2.40-1 favorite in a six-horse field in the Del Mar Handicap presented by the Japan Racing Association, Gold Phoenix got a cleaner stalking trip and accelerated in the stretch to get up in time for the win by a neck. The Del Mar Handicap was a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series "win and you're in" race, and with his win, Gold Phoenix earned a berth in the 2024 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, which will be run back at Del Mar on Nov. 2.

Gold Phoenix is out of the winning Mizzen Mast mare Magnifica, who is a full sister to Hong Kong Group 1 winner Sea Defense and to dual Grade 2 winner Jibboom.