2026 Eddie Read Stakes Day

Hector Berrios celebrates aboard Gold Phoenix after winning the 2026 Eddie Read Stakes

The highlight race of the second Sunday of Del Mar's summer meeting is the $250,000 Eddie Read Stakes (G2) for older horses going 1 1/8 miles on the Jimmy Durante turf course. Conditions were typical for late July on the beach with sunny skies and the temperatures in the high 70's, with 10,279 fans in attendance. After Astronomer scratched out, last year's winner Formidable Man was sent off as the 7-10 favorite in the field of 8 off his Shoemaker Mile (G1) win after finishing second in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1). In to challenge him included 9-2 second choice Gold Phoenix, winner of the San Juan Capistrano (G3) after finishing 7th in the Old Forester Turf Classic (G1), and two horses at 8-1 third choice, Cabo Spirit, 6th in the Kilroe Mile (G2) and Almendares, 2nd in the Shoemaker Mile.

Down the stretch in the Eddie Read Stakes

Jockey Mike Smith set Cabo Spirit to the lead exiting the infield chute through fractions of 24.73, 48.96, and 1:12.86 while pressed by 18-1 Seal Team and stalked by Almendares. Into the stretch Cabo Spirit continued to lead through 1 mile in 1:36.37 but Gold Phoenix, 7th early under Hector Berrios, came through between horses late to win by a nose in 1:47.73. It was a head back to late-running favorite Formidable Man third.

Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 5 Gold Phoenix Berrios 11.40 5.00 3.00 3 Cabo Spirit Smith 7.00 3.60 8 Formidable Man Velazquez 2.20 Winning Time: 1:47.73 $1 Exacta 5-3 41.90 $2 Quinella 3-5 30.40 $1 Trifecta 5-3-8 90.80 $1 Superfecta 5-3-8-6 704.40 Results Chart

Left: Gold Phoenix in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Phil D'Amato said, "Coming out of the chute, I got put in tight and my horse stumbled. But he picked himself up and we did fine from there. We were all the way in the back for most of the trip, but I was saving ground. I had room near the fence turning for home, then we found room between horses and it was 'vamanos!' He did it."

Right: Gold Phoenix in the walking ring before the race. Winning jockey Hector Berrios said, "Coming out of the chute, I got put in tight and my horse stumbled. But he picked himself up and we did fine from there. We were all the way in the back for most of the trip, but I was saving ground. I had room near the fence turning for home, then we found room between horses and it was 'vamanos!' He did it."

Left: Second place finisher Cabo Spirit in the paddock before the race. Trainer George Papaprodromou said, "It was a tough beat. If the horse wasn't wide, he would have seen him."

Right: Third place finisher and beaten favorite Formidable Man in the walking ring. Jockey John Velazquez said, "We didn't have any real trouble; maybe just a bit. When we came for home, I had to switch lanes with him and that took away some of his momentum. But it was just a case of it being horse racing. That's all." Trainer Mike McCarthy added, "It looked like (Velazquez) had to ride him to keep after him at the 3/8 pole."

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