Las Vegas, NV – The Grade 2 Del Mar Derby comes our way this Sunday, September 1 from Del Mar racetrack in beautiful Del Mar, California. Three year olds will be featured as they take to Del Mar’s dirt track and go 1 1/8 miles chasing the winner’s portion of the $300,000 purse. Division 1 entries can be found here.
24 entries have been confirmed forcing the organizers to split this race into two divisions. A field of 10 three year olds plus two Alternate Entries has been confirmed for Race 2 of the Del Mar Derby which is race 9 on Del Mar’s Sunday schedule. Post time is 6:00 PM. Let’s take a brief glance into the past performances of all 12 entries for Division II of this Grade 2 stakes.
Dice Flavor – Patrick Gallagher trained colt made his stakes debut with an upset win in the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby at 9-1 odds at Golden Gate February 16 and won again last time out in the competitive Grade 2 La Jolla Handicap here August 10 against many of his Del Mar Derby foes. This year he also finished fourth in the Grade 3 Affirmed Handicap June 2 after an unsuccessful trip to Dubai – an eighth place finish in the Grade 2 U.A.E Derby March 30 and more recently was third in the four horse Grade 2 Swaps at Hollywood Park July 4. Dice Flavor has three wins and three third place finishes in nine career starts but looks very, very comfortable on turf where the Del Mar Derby is being run. Off his La Jolla score, Dice Flavor is the likely favorite Sunday.
Den’s Legacy – Bob Baffert trained colt was second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Preview Stakes November 3, he won the Grade 3 Generous Stakes on turf November 24, had a decent third in the CashCall December 15, a nice second in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes on dirt January 5 and followed that with a second in the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis February 2 – not too bad a winter’s work. He has been inconsistent since however – a third in the Grade 3 Rebel Stakes March 16 at Oaklawn Park then a sixth in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby April 13, a respectable second in the Grade 2 Affirmed June 2 and then an ugly sixth in the minor Oceanside Stakes here July 17. Last time out was yet another bounceback second in the Grade 2 La Jolla Handicap here August 10. He has certainly been up and down and has not realized the potential Mr. Baffert thought – he hasn’t posted victory since November which spans eight races but is a threat to do well here (or is a threat to fall on his face!).
Infinite Magic – raced to two wins and two seconds in five starts on synthetic in England before debuting in North America April 14 where he won an Allowance by a head at Keeneland. He made his graded staked debut and finished a disappointing ninth in the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park May 11 and followed that with a sixth in the Grade 3 Hill Prince. Last time out he made a statement however – a win in the Grade 3 American Derby at Arlington Park July 13 at 12-1 odds. He won’t sneak up on anyone anymore and will have Joe Talamo in the saddle Sunday.
General Election – has eight career starts with three wins and two second place finishes. He looked terrific two back in winning the Grade 2 Arlington Classic May 25 after a nice second in the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes before that but sandwiched around those results are some less-than-flattering efforts. Last time out was a seventh in the Grade 3 American Derby at Arlington Park and back in March was a tenth in the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes. General Election looks terrific when he is running right but when not is less-than-impressive.
Dorsett – another shipper – has won three of nine starts but has posted victory in two of his last three overall – last time out in the minor Mystic Lake Derby at Canterbury Park and an Allowance at Arlington Park in June. He has run two graded stakes races this summer finishing fourth in the Grade 3 Arlington Classic and fifth July 13 in the Grade 3 American Derby at Arlington Park. He has been good against lesser competition and just OK against the higher levels. Rafael Bejarano will be in the saddle from the far outside post.
Kid Dreams – Neil Drysdale trained colt races in graded stakes company for the first time Sunday but is coming off of one of his two career wins – an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track August 18. He raced two minor stakes races at Woodbine this summer – a fifth in the Plate Trial Stakes was followed by a good third in the Charlie Bailey Stakes in July – the only times he’s stepped up in competition.
Del Mar Derby betting at Del Mar with OffTrackBetting.com
Dry Summer – entered the Sunland Derby having won two in a row – the minor Mine That Bird Derby February 23 and an Allowance January 27 but failed to fire in the Sunland finishing eighth of nine. Last time out was a bit better – a fourth in the Grade 2 La Jolla on this track August 10. His other graded stakes results were less-than-impressive as well – a fourth in the Grade 3 Sham January 5, an eleventh in the Breeders’ Cup and an eighth in the Grade 1 Frontrunner at Santa Anita in September. Dry Summer has enjoyed some success but enters the Del Mar Derby in sketchy form.
Play It Loud – will race for the fifth time for trainer Michelle Nihei. After breaking maiden in his debut at Gulfstream Park January 1, he followed that with a seventh in an Allowance Optional Claiming February 9 and ran a very good second in his stakes debut – the Grade 3 Hill Prince at Belmont Park in June. Last time out was an ugly seventh in the minor Sir Cat Stakes at Saratoga July 28.
Ethnic Dance – John Sadler trained colt has two wins in seven career starts – those wins have come in his last two starts – an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track August 3 and a MSW at Hollywood Park in July. He takes a huge step up in competition Sunday but appears to be in career-best form.
Olympic Blue – Jerry Hollendorfer trained gelding steps into graded stakes company for the first time Sunday having won six of nine starts this year with a second and two third place finished mixed in. His only stakes action has resulted in a pair of thirds – the minor Tsunami Slew and the minor Oceanside Stakes this summer. He has been terrific this year but he takes a huge step up in competition for the Del Mar Derby.
No Jet Lag – Alternate Entry Simon Callahan trained gelding made an impressive North American debut last time out with a win in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track August 11 after seven starts at home yielded two win and a second place finish. He didn’t look great before shipping with an eighteenth and a tenth respectively but he did look good in his first start state-side.
Examen – Alternate Entry Tom Proctor pupil was most recently a disappointing seven thin the minor Oceanside Stakes on this track after an equally disappointing ninth in the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland in April. He has win two of five starts but has yet to come close to hitting the board in stakes action.
