When it comes to earning credit for time served at the highest levels of the game, look no farther than Cabo Spirit as the leader of the West Coast pack. On July 26, the 7-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile will be making his 43rd start in the $250,000 Eddie Read Stakes (G2T) at Del Mar, marking his 31st swing at the graded stakes level.
None of Cabo Spirit's eight opponents in the 1 1/8-mile event comes close. Not even 8-year-old Gold Phoenix, California's Old Man River and winner of the Eddie Read in 2023, with his 33 starts spanning parts of six seasons for trainer Phil D'Amato.
Their paths have crossed before, most recently in the 2024 Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T), where Gold Phoenix finished fourth and Cabo Spirit 12th. A start earlier in the 2024 John Henry Turf Championship Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park, Cabo Spirit cashed the biggest paycheck of his career at odds of 24-1, and Gold Phoenix finished fifth.
Cabo Spirit finished fifth on the day Gold Phoenix won the '23 Read, both were unplaced in that year's Shoemaker Mile Stakes (G1T), and just before that, in the Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (G1T), Gold Phoenix was first and Cabo Spirit third, beaten just a length.
The pair of geriatrics figure to have their hands full in Sunday's 53rd running of the Eddie Read with defending champ Formidable Man and his very much in-form stablemate, Mondego, both trained by Michael McCarthy.
Formidable Man, the pride of William and Susan Warren, is coming off a smart score in the Shoemaker Mile in late May. The son of City of Light has lost only once in seven starts on the Del Mar grass, that lone setback coming when second in the 2025 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) against Godolphin's Notable Speech.
Mondego was trained in New York by the late Christophe Clement before McCarthy took over last year. After a so-so 2025, the son of Lope de Vega has been on fire this season, winning the San Marcos Stakes (G3T) and the Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park, both at a mile and one-quarter.
The rest of the field includes American Stakes (G3T) winner Almendares, also trained by D'Amato; Stay Hot, third in the 2025 Eddie Read; and three veterans trying to snap lengthy losing streaks—Seal Team, Astronomer, and Mi Hermano Ramon.
On the Thursday morning before the Read, trainer George Papaprodromou stood at Cabo Spirit's stall admiring the view he has enjoyed since the dark bay arrived midway through 2021, after his purchase by Rustin Kretz of Kretz Racing at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, through agent Gayle Van Leer. The prince was a tidy $575,000.
"He was not that big, and stocky, and I really liked the way he walked," Papaprodromou said. "When he went through the ring, I was watching back home on the computer. And when the bidding went past our budget, I was disappointed. Then I heard we got him."
Earnings of more than $1.3 million has justified the price, to go along with 13 graded stakes wins and placings. Cabo Spirit followed a banner 2025 campaign with three subpar performances early this year, however, which earned him a two-month break at E. A. Ranch in the eastern foothills of San Diego County.
"He can be a little mental, and you have to be careful when you turn out an older gelding," the trainer said. "You can't just turn them loose in a paddock. But he did fine and has come back good—freshened up and looking great."
Mike Smith, who has ridden Cabo Spirit in nine of his last 11 starts, will be back aboard for the Read, a race the Hall of Famer has won twice before.
"He can be a tricky horse to ride," Papaprodromou said. "You've got to let him do his thing. He likes to be out there, on a loose rein, and then if he can get a little break on the backside, he'll have that kick at the end. But if they make an early move on him and come to him, sometimes he's like, 'I'm done.'"
In last year's Read, Cabo Spirit and Smith were allowed their own way on the lead until the final bend for home, when Balnikhov challenged on the outside and Formidable Man bounded through along the rail. Cabo Spirit was able to beat back one but could not stay with the other, finishing a length behind Formidable Man.
Video: Eddie Read S. (G2T)
"He has his moments, he can get hot sometimes, and he likes to get his own way," Papaprodromou added. "He's a good horse who always tries. You can't ask more than that."
Del Mar, Sunday, July 26, 2026, Race 9Entries: Eddie Read S. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 Astronomer (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 121 Simon Callaghan - 2 Mondego (GB) Emisael Jaramillo 123 Michael W. McCarthy - 3 Cabo Spirit (KY) Mike E. Smith 121 George Papaprodromou - 4 Almendares (GB) Antonio Fresu 121 Philip D'Amato - 5 Gold Phoenix (IRE) Hector Isaac Berrios 121 Philip D'Amato - 6 Stay Hot (KY) Armando Ayuso 121 Peter Eurton - 7 Seal Team (GB) Joel Rosario 121 Richard E. Mandella - 8 Formidable Man (KY) John R. Velazquez 125 Michael W. McCarthy - 9 Mi Hermano Ramon (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 121 Mark Glatt -
