Phil D'Amato had the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks circled on his calendar following the impressive win of Going Global in the Grade 3 Honeymoon Stakes at Santa Anita back in May and on Saturday that ambitious plan came to fruition in style as the Mehmas filly romped to victory.
Her win continued a brilliant run for Mehmas that hit a high note at York this week through the success of the Tally-Ho-bred Lusail in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes.
Going Global has virtually been unstoppable since transferring to Phil d'Amato, racking up four stakes wins in five starts prior to the Del Mar Oaks - they include a trio of Grade 3 events in the Sweet Life, Providencia and Honeymoon Stakes.
Again partnered by Flavien Prat, she emerged from midpack on this occasion to take over in the home stretch and held her rivals at bay to win by a length.
Phil D'Amato trains Going Global for CYBT, Michael Dubb, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig, Ray Pagano.
"We got a dream ride there and this filly showed that she's just the class of the field against a really good bunch of horses," he told the Bloodhorse "She showed her turn of foot and got it done. She's just special. She takes on every challenge we give her and keeps on going."
Prat was similarly effusive. "What a nice filly. I mean what more can you say about her. She's won five out of six races (in the U.S.)," he said. "I was up a little closer today because the pace was slow early. But she was always traveling well, so I wasn't worried. I had plenty of horse. I was just waiting to find a spot to run. When I asked her she really got going."
Going Global, who now boasts earnings of almost $470,000, was bred in Ireland by Nicky Hartery out of Wrood, a winning Invasor half-sister to Group 3 winner Racer Forever, and originally purchased for €15,500 by Pioneer Racing out of the Goffs Sportsman's Sale.
She becomes the second Group or Grade 1 winner for Mehmas and is one of 14 stakes winners out of his first two crops overall.
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