Del Mar Turf Runners Return for John Henry

All but one of the eight horses entered in the Sept. 26 John Henry Turf Championship Stakes (G2T) are coming out of either the Del Mar Handicap (G2T) or the Del Mar Mile (G2T). It makes sense, as the 1 1/4-mile Santa Anita Park race can help the California grass runners sort themselves out as to the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) or Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) Oct. 31 at Keeneland. The $200,000 race does not offer a Win and You're In berth to any Breeders' Cup contests and, unlike the past three years, the Breeders' Cup will not be held in California. Nevertheless, a good showing here could launch some into a Breeders' Cup trip to Lexington. Last of 11 until heading into the final turn of the Del Mar Handicap, John O'Connor's Atitlan missed catching winner Test Score by a neck while racing wide and between horses in the stretch. Richard Mandella has trained the 5-year-old son of The Factor since John Shirreffs' death earlier this year. For Shirreffs, Atitlan won the 2025 Charles Whittingham Stakes (G2T) over the same course and distance as the John Henry, as well as the longer San Luis Rey Stakes (G3T) and shorter Twilight Derby (G2T), both at Santa Anita. Umberto Rispoli, who rode Atitlan for the first time in the Del Mar Handicap, returns in the John Henry aboard the even-money favorite on the morning line. Mandella has also entered Red Rafa Stud's 15-1 outsider Sinsel (BRZ), a two-time group 1 winner in his native Brazil. A 5-year-old son of Woodward Stakes (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1) winner Alpha, Sinsel made his U.S. debut in the Del Mar Mile. Well back and rank early, he beat only one horse at the wire. Hector Berrios takes over for the John Henry. Trainer Phil D'Amato won the 2025 John Henry with the redoubtable 8-year-old Gold Phoenix (IRE), who bypasses the race this year. Instead, D'Amato has entered Atomic Age, third in the Del Mar Handicap, a head in front of Gold Phoenix. That was Atomic Age's stakes debut. The 4-year-old son of Justify made his first four starts in the East with trainer Chad Brown. James Downey bought Atomic Age for $120,000 at the 2025 Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale and moved him to D'Amato and the West Coast. Gelded after running fifth in a June 13 allowance/optional claimer, Atomic Age won the next time out by 1 1/4 lengths. Mondego (GB) is a two-time graded stakes winner at Santa Anita this year, both at 1 1/4 miles. Trained by Michael McCarthy, he captured the Feb. 14 San Marcos Stakes (G3T) and the May 2 Whittingham. Last year, Mondego finished fourth in the John Henry. At the recent Del Mar meeting, he finished seventh in the Eddie Read Stakes (G2T) and fifth in the Del Mar Handicap. Rounding out the field are Nitti (IRE) and Flashiest, sixth and eighth in the Del Mar Handicap; Twirling Point, eighth in the Del Mar Mile; and Balladeer, fifth in the Whittingham and fifth in last year's John Henry.