Going Global To Stay In California Despite Third Grade 3 Success

It was another exciting weekend of racing action, but one of the star performances from the weekend came in the form of Going Global. The Irish-bred three-year-old has been in excellent form since swapping Ireland for the United States and claimed a fourth stakes victory of the season this past weekend in the form of the Honeymoon Stakes.

 

However, trainer Philip D’Amato has refused to get too carried away with the performances of the filly, as he has revealed that the three-year-old will be staying in California for the foreseeable future.

 

 

There had been rumors that the three-year-old could have been heading to Belmont Park in June to make the step up to Grade 1 company to compete in the Belmont Oaks. However, these plans were effectively dashed before they even started over the weekend, as D’Amato claimed that the Belmont Oaks wasn’t a race that the Irish-bred horse was going to target this season. The trainer revealed after the third Grade 3 win of the season for Going Global that the plan for the foreseeable future is for the three-year-old to stay in California.

 

It is fair to assume that those comments mean that the next time that we will see Going Global will be at Del Mar over the summer, as the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes could be her next stop. That race is due to take place at the end of July and could come shortly before we see the three-year-old take a step up into Grade 1 company in the form of the Del Mar Oaks in August.

 

 

The step-up in class couldn’t come soon enough for Going Global, as she was in scintillating form this past weekend when winning the Honeymoon Stakes. She finished nearly five lengths clear of Golden in the 2021 renewal and adds to the success that she has already achieved in the form of two Grade 3s; Sweet Life Stakes and Providencia Stakes. She looked far more dominant this past weekend, as she won the latter of those stakes by a neck. However, many believed that now would have been the right time to challenge for one of the biggest prizes available to three-year-old fillies.

 

It could be argued that the measured approach taken by the trainer could also be the right route, as the Del Mar Oaks already looks to be a thrilling renewal this season. The race typically attracts some international names, and it will be fascinating to see how this three-year-old contends when challenged by some of the brightest stars.

 

 

D’Amato has refused to get drawn into the long-term plans with this three-year-old, but it would be wise to suggest that the end goal could lead to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. The trainer has already suggested that she could have a good chance of improving when pitted against older horses.

 

Before connections start dreaming of the Breeders’ Cup, there will be the small matter of the San Clemente Stakes. Two horses that look set to challenge Going Global in that race are Madone and Tetragonal. The latter of those horses returned to the track this past weekend with a controlled victory. However, she was disappointing in the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes at the beginning of May, as she finished back in eighth. That race was won by Madone, who has won the Senorita Stakes, as well as the Surfer Girl Stakes so far in her career. However, she was well beaten by Going Global in the Honeymoon Stakes.