Oaklands Stud based Exosphere has had two Australian Group w winners this spring in Skybird and Spacewalk and added a new US Group winner to his tally on the weekend when French bred gelding Easter won the Group II Sea Biscuit Handicap (1 and 1/16th m) at Del Mar.
Already a Listed winner at Aqueduct, the Phillip D’Amato trained five year-old gelding won by half a length taking his overall record to six wins and six placings from 18 starts and led home a trifecta in the race for his trainer.
“I saw Easter was kind of stuck behind there and thought maybe he was going to get second,” said D'Amato.
“Antonio [Fresu, winning rider) said he was able to find daylight and then he exploded. He said within a couple of strides he made up all the ground like nothing. It's nice to see all three of my horses run well and the best horse won today. Maybe it's 'Harry' next time and maybe it's Balnikhov after that."
Easter raced previously in France for Fabrice Chappet, where he was stakes placed in 2021, and then transferred to the US stable of Graham Motion in 2022 where he won several races. The Seabiscuit was Easter's first start under D'Amato.
He is a half-brother to Group III winner Sweety Dream and is now the best of seven winners from seven runners from good producing Group III placed mare Excellent Girl, a three-quarter -sister by Exceed and Excel to Group III winner Fastnet Tempest.
Easter is one of eight stakes-winners for Exosphere, who stands at a fee of $6,600 at Oaklands Stud in Queensland.
