Fresu. (Benoit Photo)
Hollywood Meet: D’Amato Again Top Trainer, Alexander Claims Owner’s Title
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.—The 29-day Santa Anita Hollywood Meet wrapped up Sunday with Antonio Fresu winning the jockey’s title, Phil D’Amato as top trainer and Nick Alexander as leading owner.
For Fresu, this was his first jockey’s title at Santa Anita. The 33-year-old native of Italy has been riding in the U.S., specifically the Southern California circuit, since April 2023. Fresu ended the Hollywood Meet with 34 wins from 152 mounts (22 percent) to finish four wins clear of runner-up Juan Hernandez. Fresu also had five stakes wins to lead all jockeys.
At last year’s Hollywood Meet, Fresu came up just one win short of Hernandez in the race for leading jockey.
“Since I moved out here, I’ve been close a couple of times to win the title. It’s a great reward,” Fresu said. “It means that your hard work really pays off, so that makes me really happy. I have to thank my agent, Tom Knust, who has been doing a great job, and all the trainers and owners that have made this possible by giving me the opportunities and support since I came to America.”
Fresu’s stakes wins came with Seismic Beauty in the GII Santa Margarita for trainer Bob Baffert, Richi in the GII Santa Maria for Baffert, Motorious in the GIII Daytona for D’Amato, Public Assembly in the GIII Royal Heroine for D’Amato and Freedom’s Not Free in the Cinema Stakes for trainer Mark Glatt.
Fresu also led all jockeys with $1,794,786 in purse earnings.
For D’Amato, this was his seventh trainer’s title at Santa Anita. He won 27 races from 113 starters (24%) to finish seven wins clear of runner-up John Sadler. D’Amato also led all trainers with $1,573,678 in purse earnings and tied Baffert for most stakes wins at the stand with five.
“It’s a nice accomplishment,” D’Amato said. “I would have to give my team credit for that. You’re only as good as the team you have and I’m very thankful that I have a quality bunch of assistants, exercise riders and grooms. It takes a total team effort to win a training title.”
D’Amato’s top assistants are Rudy Cruz and Euriel Mejia. The barn’s five stakes wins came with King of Gosford in the GI Shoemaker Mile, Motorious in the GIII Daytona, Public Assembly in the GIII Royal Heroine, Jungle Peace in the GIII Senorita and Super Shine in the Desert Stormer.
Alexander has been one of California’s top owners and breeders for decades. His runners at the Hollywood Meet won 11 races from 25 starts, a 44 percent success rate.
“I just want to thank all my guys back at the ranch…Thank you guys for the way you take care of the horses and the way you bring them in,” Alexander said. “I just got lucky. You just saw the leading trainer this year was Phil D’Amato; he happens to be our trainer. Antonio Fresu just happened to win the jockey’s title; I think he rode half of our winners this meet. Thank you very much to those two guys.”
Live racing will return to Santa Anita Park on Friday, Sept. 26 for the five-week Autumn meet. Seven Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” races will highlight the first two weeks of the stand.
