Trainer Michael McCarthy had a one-word recollection on Friday morning of Formidable Man’s fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita on May 26.
“Frustrated,” he said.
The 5-2 favorite, Formidable Man closed well to finish 1 1/4 lengths behind race winner King of Gosford in the $302,000 Shoemaker Mile.
Formidable Man is likely to be favored again in Sunday’s Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar. This time, the race is 1 1/8 miles on turf, on a course and at a distance the 4-year-old colt adores.
In five career starts at 1 1/8 miles on turf, Formidable Man has won three times, including consecutive starts at Del Mar last year – the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby last September and Grade 1 Hollywood Derby in November.
Formidable Man, who races for William and Suzanne Warren, has been equally as sharp at times this year, winning the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf at Santa Anita in March.
In the $250,000 Eddie Read Stakes, Formidable Man is part of a strong field of eight, all graded stakes winners. Atitlan, a three-time stakes winner in the last year, and Gold Phoenix, who won the 2023 Eddie Read, are two of Formidable Man’s prominent rivals.
There are two notable absentees in Johannes and King of Gosford.
Johannes, winner of the 2024 Eddie Read, is expected to start in the Grade 1 Fourstardave Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 2. King of Gosford is booked to run in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 30.
Formidable Man, who has won 6 of 13 starts, often races as a stalker. In the Shoemaker Mile, Formidable Man was eighth of nine after a half-mile and closest to the front at the finish.
“I thought we were too far back,” McCarthy said.
With a runner such as Cabo Spirit in Sunday’s field, there is likely to be a fair pace.
Umberto Rispoli rides Formidable Man for the ninth time. They have teamed to win five races in the last 16 months.
“Umberto knows him well,” McCarthy said. “He’ll ride him where he’s comfortable.”
Cabo Spirit, as well as Balladeer, are trained by George Papaprodromou. Cabo Spirit, a five-time stakes winner in 34 starts, was third at 30-1 in the Shoemaker Mile, leading in the stretch before losing by a neck. Balladeer was eighth in the 2024 Eddie Read, and third in his last start, the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at about 1 3/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita on June 15.
Atitlan, trained by John Shirreffs is more of a closer, a style that led to consecutive wins on turf at Santa Anita in the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles in March and the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on May 3. In the Shoemaker Mile, Atitlan closed from last to finish fifth by 1 1/2 lengths.
“We thought it was too short for him,” Shirreffs said. “We wanted to try him. He surprised me how quickly he closed at a mile.”
Atitlan has been successful at 1 1/8 miles on turf, winning the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita last October. Atitlan was third behind Formidable Man in the 2024 Del Mar Derby.
Shirreffs said the Eddie Read is a prep race to have Atitlan ready for the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on turf on Aug. 30.
“I think this is a good spot for him,” Shirreffs said. “He’s had a little time off.”
Gold Phoenix is winless in four starts since his third career win in the Del Mar Handicap last August, a race also on his schedule this summer. Gold Phoenix was fourth by 1 1/4 lengths in the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic at 1 1/8 miles at Churchill Downs on May 3 with Rispoli aboard.
Trainer Phil D’Amato said on Friday that the result was better than looked.
“The place you didn’t want to be that day was the inside and that was the only spot Umberto had to go,” D’Amato said.
Kyle Frey regains the mount on Sunday.
“Kyle knows him as good as any,” D’Amato said. “If he’s got to put him in the race a little more, he can. If he sits off of it, he can kick.”
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