Phil D’Amato tries to repeat again in Saturday’s John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar

DEL MAR — Trainer Phil D’Amato is running up a nice string of repeat champions this season.

Last week, D’Amato’s Gold Phoenix became just one of four horses in American racing history to win the same race four straight years when he won the Grade II Del Mar Handicap for the fourth straight year. And Motorious won the Grade III Green Flash for a third straight year.

D’Amato seeks another repeat champion Saturday, when Hang The Moon seeks to win the Grade II John C. Mabee Stakes for a second straight year.

But the path to the winner’s circle might be a bit more difficult for the 5-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo in the 1 1/8-mile turf test for older fillies and mares. Hang The Moon (Kazushi Kimura) is no better than the third pick in the nine-horse field.

The narrow favorite 5-2 favorite is Medoro (Umberto Rispoli), the winner of the $100,000 Osunitas Stakes at Del Mar on July 20 in her 2025 debut following a 2024 campaign that saw her win a Grade III race and finish second in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks and third in the Grade I American Oaks at Santa Anita. She is a 4-year-old daughter of Honor Code.

Another horse to watch in the field is Gimme a Nother (Juan Hernandez), who flies in from Maryland as trainer Graham Motion seeks a second Del Mar stakes win this summer (Heredia in the Yellow Ribbon). Gimme a Nother has won three of four American starts since coming from South Africa.

“Having come from South Africa, this is a small trip for her,” said Alice Clapham, Motion’s assistant. “She seems to be bright and happy. This is a good spot for her.”

D’Amato has four horses entered in the $250,000 Mabee with Public Assembly, Mission of Joy and Kentucky Gal joining Hang The Moon.

Saturday’s feature is, of course, the seven-furlong Del Mar Debutante. Bob Baffert will have the three morning-line picks in the first half of the Grade 1 juvenile doubleheader as part of the summer meeting’s closing weekend.

The trainer’s Explora (8-5), HJimika (2-1) and Bottle of Rouge (5-1) are rated the top three picks among the seven fillies entered in the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante. Baffert will also have four of the six horses entered, led by even-money favorite Brant, in Sunday’s Del Mar Futurity for male 2-year-olds.

Saturday’s third stakes race is the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf, a one-mile test on the turf.

Upset battle

Max Ciao and jockey Armando Ayuso out-battled Thirsty Rebel (Abel Lezcano) in a long, side-by-side stretch duel Friday to win the $100,000 I’m Smokin Stakes for Cal-bred 2-year-olds – the kick-off event to the juvenile championship weekend.

Favored Sammy Davis led most of the 5½-furlong dirt sprint before fading badly in the second half of the stretch to finish fifth among the eight starters. Max Ciao ($16.60) finished a nose ahead of second-favorite Thirsty Rebel, who had earlier led the winner by a head.

“My horse looked at the eye of Thirsty Rebel and matched with him,” said Ayuso. “Max Ciao was quick. He has matured. At the finish line, I thought I got it because of his head.”

“My horse had a hard time getting by Thirsty Rebel,” said Knapp. “I knew Sammy Davis was going to be tough. I thought Max could keep up and I thought he would finish. It was a really good race.”

Notable

Hernandez and Baffert teamed for an 18th win during the summer meeting when favorite Usha ($3) sped to a 5¼-length victory in the fifth race.

• Peter Miller had three wins Friday – Opus Uno ($7.40) in the first, Case Hit ($10.40) in the fourth and We The Hobby ($8.40) in the eighth to move into second in the trainer standings. But he still trails Baffert by four wins (21-17) with two days to go and Baffert’s strength in the 2-year-old races a looming factor.

• The start of Friday’s third race was delayed 12 minutes after a tractor manicuring the dirt track caught the inside rail, requiring a repair.