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Dhaamer remains perfect on Hollywood turf in Round Table

Dhaamer is three-for-three over the course, all in stakes (Benoit Photos) Add Dhaamer to the list of those saddened by the impending demise of Hollywood Park in 2014. By romping in his title defense in Sunday's $73,850 Round Table Stakes, Edward J. Brown Jr. and Jay Manoogian's colorbearer extended his local mark to three-for-three, and signaled his intent to repeat in the Sunset Handicap on closing day, July 14. Since bursting onto the scene during last year's spring/summer meet, Dhaamer has raced only twice. The Mike Mitchell charge was a belatedly-closing second in the Del Mar Handicap last August, where he fell a neck shy of catching Casino Host. Sidelined for almost seven months, the Irish-bred son Dubai Destination reappeared with a tiring sixth in the March 23 Tokyo City Cup on the Santa Anita dirt. Mitchell confirmed that he was sharper going into the Round Table, and he duly performed up to his 3-5 favoritism. Diamondsdiplomat served as the controlling speed in the 1 1/2-mile marathon. But as the front runner doled out fractions of :25, :49 1/5, 1:14 and 1:38 4/5 on the firm turf, Dhaamer was ideally placed in second by Garrett Gomez. The odds-on favorite crept ever closer until delivering his challenge in earnest on the final turn, and he put the race away in short order. Inhaling Diamondsdiplomat after the 1 1/4-mile mark was passed in 2:03, Dhaamer kicked clear into the stretch and drew off by 2 1/4 lengths. Lime Rickey rallied purposefully from last, but could not come near the winner. Dhaamer crossed the wire in a final time of 2:26 4/5 and returned $3.20, $2.20 and $2.10.

"One of my owners said I was training him too fast and one said I was training him too slow," Mitchell said. "I guess it worked out just right. I was a little worried because I thought he was laying a little too close. But I think Garrett knew what he had. He's just been training so well."

"That was pretty easy," Gomez said. "The only reason I was scrubbing on him a little bit was the simple fact that I know that (Lime Rickey) would be running at me and I knew my horse wasn't giving me 110 percent, so I felt I had to keep him on his toes and keep him aware that he was still racing.

"These mile and one-half horses, especially like (Dhaamer) usually come from pretty far back and always have a target. To lose my target at the quarter-pole is a little different situation than he's usually in. I didn't want to let him get flat-footed, so I just kept him to his task and he handled it great."

Lime Rickey overtook Niagara Falls by 1 3/4 lengths for the runner-up spot, and Little Emily was another 6 1/4 lengths astern in fourth. Diamondsdiplomat and Madera Castana trailed.

Bred by Shadwell Estate Company, Dhaamer was originally trained by John Gosden in England. The chestnut broke his maiden over Lingfield's Polytrack and won two handicaps on turf, at Sandown and Haydock, respectively.

Dhaamer was then purchased for $50,434 at the 2011 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale and imported to the United States. He made an encouraging American debut in the 2012 Tokyo City Cup, just missing by a neck, but found the extended 1 3/4 miles of the San Juan Capistrano Handicap a bridge too far and wound up fourth. Dhaamer subsequently dropped back down to 1 1/2 miles at Hollywood and conquered the Round Table and Sunset by a combined margin of 7 3/4 lengths.

Given how his prior San Juan experience panned out, Dhaamer passed on the April 21 renewal at Santa Anita.

"I skipped the San Juan, just to keep him fresh," Mitchell said. "I think we'll go for the Sunset Handicap. That's what we did last time and I'd like to run in that race again."

Out of Group 2-placed stakes heroine Arjuzah, a daughter of Ahonoora, Dhaamer is a three-quarter brother to Group 1-winning sprinter Malhub, who landed the 2002 Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot. He is also a half-brother to the unraced Nebraas, dam of Irish Group 3 queen Yellow Rosebud and Group 3-placed stakes victress Seeharn.

With his fourth dam being Irish champion two-year-old filly Fair Astronomer, Dhaamer descends from the same family as Grade 1 star Anka Germania, the dam of multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Deputy Commander; Grade 1 hero Mourjane; English highweight sprint mare Farhana; and Group 1 queen Donna Blini, herself the dam of 2012 Japanese Horse of the Year and Filly Triple Crown sweeper Gentildonna.

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