Prior to this afternoon’s Grade 3 Dinner Party Stakes, Balnikhov’s most recent win was  April of 2023, nine races ago. That losing streak was snapped today, as jockey Frankie Dettori delivered a win in the $500,000 Dinner Party at Pimlico, the race run just before the Preakness. 

The Dinner Party is a mile and an eighth on the turf for three-year-olds and up.

Horseplayers sent the Irish-bred son of Adaay off at 5.40-1. On a day when the weather resembled that of Ireland, Dettori knew his horse felt at home. 

“The horse liked the soft,” Dettori said after his signature flying dismount in the winner’s circle. “He went through it like a hot knife through butter.”

As Helms Deep set the first two splits in 26.42 and 52.77, typical of the day on the soft going, Dettori keep Balnikhov well last with a ground saving trip. Briefly up the backstretch he moved out of last place only to return to it entering the turn for home. 

Things changed at that point. Balnikhov was eased out and found a gap to move on the leaders passing the quarter pole. Then he came wider yet, and as easily as he ran in last place, he came home the same to win by a length and a half over Crabs N Beer. Favored Running Bee was three lengths behind in third.

Balnikhov is trained by Philip D’Amato and owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables LLC and Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC., and bred by T de La Heronnierre and Gestut Zur Kuste AG. 

Running time for the nine furlongs over a course rated soft was 1:58.90. Balnikhov paid $12.80 to win.

“I thought this horse is kind of on the upswing,” trainer Phil D’Amato said after the race. “He came back with a really good breeze. We kind of had this race in mind. The connections were going to be there at Pimlico, and we were able to get Frankie Dettori.”

The Dinner Party was Dettori’s first win ever at Pimlico. 

Earlier on the card in the three-year old turf feature, the $100,000 James Murphy, Arnaud Delacour trainee Fulmineo broke clear, saved ground after moving towards the rail down the stretch the first time, and steadily drew off to win by over two lengths. 

“We had a good trip,” remarked jockey Flavien Prat, who won his second consecutive Murphy after setting the course record last year aboard Nagirroc. “He broke okay and we were able to save ground in the first turn. Then, on the back side it seemed like the pace slowed down a bit. I was able to get him to the outside on the good ground. From there, he was traveling well and did the rest.” 

With the soft, wet turf the track record was safely preserved as Fulmineo covered the mile in 1:44.78, over 11 seconds slower than Nagirroc’s track record of 1:33.11. The quarter marks for the mile went 24.98, 26.48, 26.31 and 25.39.

Fulmineo is a Maryland-bred son of Bolt d’Oro out of the mare Starr of Quality by First Dude. Fulmineo was bred by Country Life Farm and Starr of Quality LLC and is owned by Mark Grier and Starlight Racing.

“Colonial Downs is a good turf in the summer,” noted Delacour after the race. “It is definitely a good place to go so we will look at those races. It’s a big, long stretch so that’s going to help him. He is kind of a long horse. a little bit one pace and keeps coming, a grinder.”

Fulmineo is a Maryland-bred of Country Life Farm & Star of Quality, LLC, sired by Bolt d’Oro out of the mare Star of Quality by First Dude. Though running well, Fulmineo was winless in four starts this year after finishing eleventh in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Turf in 2023.

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