King of Gosford fought through a tight stretch duel Saturday, Aug. 22, and won the Grade II, $303,000 Del Mar Mile by a head, capping a three-stakes-win day for jockey Umberto Rispoli and pushing the 5-year-old British-bred gelding past the $1 million career earnings mark.

The victory was Rispoli's 51st career stakes win at Del Mar. He also won the Grade II Green Flash Handicap earlier on the Pacific Classic Day card aboard Sorrento Sky, giving him three wins on the afternoon and five stakes victories at the 2026 summer meet.

"I thought it was a great trip. He saved every inch of ground," trainer Phil D'Amato said in post-race comments released by Del Mar. "Umberto (Rispoli) saw that the race was fast and sat off of it until just the right time. I think the horse on the inside and outside really invigorated him to fight there late and we had the strong finish and Umberto got the job done."

King of Gosford covered the one-mile turf course in 1:34.22 in the 11-horse field, returning $12.40 to win bettors before a Pacific Classic Day crowd of 15,187. Juddmonte's Detain finished second, a neck ahead of race favorite El Potente, who went off at 28-10 odds for My Way Racing.

The $180,000 first-place check lifted King of Gosford's career bankroll to $1,002,192. It was his ninth career win.

Comeback story

The milestone came after a difficult year for King of Gosford. In the 2025 Del Mar Mile, the horse finished sixth but cut up his hind leg in a racing incident and had to be pulled from training entirely. He did not race again until April 2026.

D'Amato told Del Mar's stable notes on Thursday, Aug. 20, that the layoff was necessary: "He got caught up with John Sadler's horse (Suchet) and he cut up his hind leg. The only way it could heal properly was to take him out of training."

King of Gosford returned this spring with a close second in the Grade III American Stakes, a third in the Shoemaker Mile and then a win in the $100,000 Wickerr Stakes at Del Mar on Sunday, July 19.

D'Amato's dominance

The Del Mar Mile was D'Amato's fifth win in the race and his 78th career stakes victory at the track. He also trained Green Flash winner Sorrento Sky, giving him four stakes wins at the 2026 meet.

Rispoli, who returned from an injury earlier in the season, called it "a nice beautiful day" after his three-win performance.

King of Gosford is owned by Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, Gevertz, Nentwig and Peskoff. Del Mar's summer meet continues through Monday, Sept. 7.