Saturday’s $300,000 Hollywood Derby (G1) at the Del Mar will offer a clash of styles in a deep field of eight, headlined by morning-line favorite Test Score.
The H. Graham Motion-trained Lookin At Lucky colt has been no worse than third in nine of his 11 starts and enters off a solid win in the Twilight Derby (G2) a month ago at Santa Anita. His resume also boasts victories in the Transylvania Stakes (G3) at Keeneland and the Belmont Derby Invitational at Saratoga, the latter making him the lone Grade 1 winner in the field.
Motion's decision to keep him in California post-Twilight Derby and the return of Juan Hernandez to the saddle lends additional weight to his credentials, which include a fast-closing second to Chasing Liberty in last year’s Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance over the same Del Mar turf.
Expected to attract considerable support as well in is Ontario-bred Tom's Magic, who had a banner Canadian campaign under the care of Michael Stidhham. The Justify colt won the listed Breeders’ Stakes on the turf at Woodbine in his most recent outing on Sept. 28 and earlier took the Tale of the Cat at Monmouth and the Black Gold at the Fair Grounds. Additionally, he finished second in the $1 million King’s Plate on the all-weather track at Keeneland.
His lone graded stakes start was in the aforementioned Transylvania, in which he was ninth.
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At 9 furlongs, the Hollywood Derby may play short for him, and adapting to Del Mar could be a challenge, but his last three efforts have been impressive.
Maaz, who drew the rail and will carry jockey Ricardo Gonzalez for Michael McCarthy, represents a strong West Coast contingent. The French-bred Maaz comes in off a closing second to Test Score in the Twilight Derby, his graded stakes debut. The Mike McCarthy-trained gelding scored his first stateside victory in an optional claimer before the Twilight Derby.
His prior European form (one start) was solid but unremarkable, and the switch to U.S. racing has unlocked potential, and might appreciate the extra furlong after winning at a mile in allowance company before the Twilight. Del Mar's tighter turns could suit his closing style better than Santa Anita's, and Gonzalez's tactical acumen adds appeal. A pace meltdown up front could propel him to contention, though he's untested at Grade 1 level.
Chad Brown seeks his fifth Hollywood Derby winner with Juddmonte Farm’s homebred Salamis, who will be piloted by Umberto Rispoli. The Speightstown colt ships from New York with serious upside after a stakes win at Saratoga this summer, though his unremarkable effort in the Bryan Station Stakes (G3) is a bit of a head-scratcher.
His pedigree and his consistent late run positions him well if the leaders tire.
The Leonard Powell-trained Tempus Volat earned his spot via a dead-heat win in the Let It Ride Stakes at Del Mar on Oct. 30, where he stalked the early pace and ground out a half-length win at odds of 10-1. He's the only horse in the field with two Del Mar turf wins. He likely will be undervalued as a pace factor who could wire if he decides to show some early speed. His only question is whether the class rise exposes any limitations in late stamina.
Friendly Confines hails from the solid Richard Baltas stable and will carry Hector Berrios. He brings more hometown class to the equation after a solid second in the Let It Ride Stakes at Del Mar on Oct. 30. The son of Twirling Candy has a ton of speed that's ideal for this oval, but he also has shown some tactical ability judging by his off-the-pace allowance win here in early September. This step up in class tests whether he can carry that form against the top turf sophomore turf performers in America but having Berrios board helps. If the pace is honest without being suicidal, he could be up on it, or stalk and pounce effectively. He's a live underlay if overlooked in exotics.
Kokosan, a Janavar Thoroughbreds homebred with Armando Ayuso riding for trainer John Sadler, faces a tall order in his stakes debut and has yet to break his maiden in six previous starts. Though Sadler's turf success is well-documented, this colt’s inexperience makes him a tough bet to win, he's more of a longshot for underneath value if you’re a believer.
Jay Bligh's homebred Copp makes his stakes and California bow after spending his career in McCarthy’s Kentucky-based camp, breaking his maiden at sixth asking on Sept. 28 at Churchill Downs. Exotic players will want more seasoning before trusting him prominently.
Overall, this shapes up as Test Score's race to lose, but value abounds in the second tier with Salamis and Tempus Volat offering upset potential. Pace should be moderate with Friendly Confines and Tempus Volat setting things up. Bettors should check scratches and track bias, as Del Mar's closing day often delivers fireworks.
The picks: 1 Test Score, 2 Tom’s Magic, 3 Maaz
The Jimmy Durante (G3) features a competitive field of 11 2-year-old fillies stretching out to a mile on Del Mar's Jimmy Durante Turf Course. With a mix of recent maiden breakers, shippers and some local spice, pace dynamics forwardly placed runners on expected firm going will bring most of the money. Morning line favorite Hypergamy sets the standard with her local form, but value lies in improving East Coast invader Just Aloof and French import Special Wood.
The 7-2 Hypergamy dominated her maiden-breaking race last out with a gate-to-wire romp at Del Mar two weeks ago and she was also third in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf at the end of the summer season, where she pressed hard early in a wide trip. Doug O'Neill wins at a 25% clip with similar, plus talented jockey Antonio Fresu in the irons, makes her the one to beat. The wide draw is mild concern with her early running style, but if she establishes a good spot early, class should carry her a win.
Whisper Hill Farm’s homebred Just Aloof, trained by Chad Brown, broke her maiden impressively on the turf in her debut going a mile and displayed professionalism with a late surge to win by a neck. Her pedigree (by Justify and out of the $3.9 million Group 3-winning Irish mare Aloof) screams class, and Hector Berrios adds upside. She is vulnerable, though, if the West Coast speed holds, but she is a prime win candidate in this spot.
French Import Special Wood makes her stateside debut for trainer Tom Proctor and carries an impressive 3-2-0-0 record, including back-to-back wins in July and August at Vichy over similar trips on firm turf. Her last-out fourth against the boys was excused by soft ground, and the form has been validated by subsequent winners behind her. John Velazquez rides and her French form shows she is expected to stalk the pace and pounce. She appears undervalued as a top win contender at 8-1 odds.
The picks: 1 Hypergamy, 2 Just Aloof, 3 Special Wood
The Seabiscuit Handicap (G2) – a rare handicap event left in the country – drew a solid field of nine turf veterans who will race 1 1/16 miles, with highweight set at 123 pounds. Expect a moderate early pace led by El Potente and possibly Sumter, which favors closers like Cabo Spirit and Stay Hot in a race where consistency and Del Mar affinity will be key.
Stay Hot anchors the field and is the 5-2 morning line favorite as the 123-pound highweight with Juan Hernandez for Peter Eurton. A proven G3 winner with top connections, he's been sharp in recent route preps on turf with a pair of seconds in California’s top turf events for older horses before the Breeders’ Cup. He surely has the class to overcome the draw and weight in a field without a standout dominator, and his reliability makes him the one to beat for top honors
El Potente commands respect and will break from post five with 121 pounds and Hector Berrios for Dan Blacker. Undefeated in two starts this year prior to a nine-month freshening, he fired a career-best 104 Beyer winning the Thunder Road Stakes (G3) in his last out in February and has hit the board in 10 straight races. His natural early turn of foot sets the tone here, and sharpness off the bench makes him a top win threat.
Sumter, who will break from post 2 under Hall of Famer Mike Smith for Richard Mandella, carries 121 pounds. This War Front gelding thrives stalker behind a decent pace, as he’ll likely get today, and his inner draw positions him perfectly to save ground. If the pace heats up, he's a live threat for the mild upset off a 6-1 morning line.
The picks: 1 Stay Hot, 2 El Potente, 3 Sumter
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
