The logical places to look for the winner of the September 1 Del Mar Derby (G2T) are the two previous turf races at the 3-year-old meet. Thus, Keep warm And The formidable man who won the La Jolla Handicap and Oceanside Stakes, deserves serious consideration.
But don’t overlook the California-bred variety. Curlin’s Kaos winner of the Real Good Deal Stakes on August 2. On paper, this doesn’t make much sense. The Real Good Deal is a seven-furlong event on dirt for Cal and California stallions, while the Del Mar Derby is a turf event graded at 1 1/8 miles. However, two of the last three Del Mar Derby winners have come from Real Good Deal.
No one is above the law won the 2021 Real Good Deal by 5 1/4 lengths before winning the Del Mar Derby by 10-1. The following year, Slow down Andy run second Big City Lights in the Real Good Deal and came back to win the Derby at 6-1. Both face stronger opponents than Curlin’s Kaos, trained by Antonio Garcia, who will only have to beat six opponents in this year’s renewal.
A maiden in two starts at No. 2, Curlin’s Kaos broke her own record in her second start of the year, a mile on grass. She finished fourth in the Sunland Derby (G3) and Santa Anita Derby (G1), both two-furlong dirt events, before winning another mile on grass. Curlin’s Kaos ran without blinds in her first two wins and had blinds in the Real Good Deal. For the Del Mar Derby, Curlin’s Kaos will race blinds again, with Diego Herrera on board from the No. 7 spot.
Stay Hot and Formidable Man will definitely cost less than Curlin’s Kaos.
Stay Hot, trained by Peter Eurton, has won four titles, starting with the Cecil B. DeMille Stakes (G3) at Del Mar last fall. He added Baffle and Pasadena to the Santa Anita Park and most recently the 1 1/16 mile La Jolla race. Antonio Fresu, who has ridden Stay Hot in each of his races, returned and finished fourth.
Formidable Man and Stay Hot have only met once, in the American Turf Stakes (G2T) on May 4 at Churchill Downs. Formidable Man ran second behind the winner Trikari while Stay Hot finished last of 14 (“just not a happy horse in Kentucky,” Eurton said). Trainer Michael McCarthy tried Formidable Man again at Churchill, in the 1 1/8-mile Audubon Stakes on June 1, and the colt raced to second before weakening to sixth. Formidable Man returned to Del Mar to win the mile Oceanside. Umberto Rispoli, who broke Formidable Man’s course record at Santa Anita in March but was not present at Churchill, will ride from sixth.
The guy named Joe And Atitlan also starting from the Del Mar 3-year-old turf stakes earlier. Guy Named Joe, trained by Doug O’Neill, finished second at Oceanside and is served from the rail by Juan Hernandez. Atitlan, trained by John Shirreffs, finished third at La Jolla in just his third start. Hector Berrios will ride from the 5th position.
Golden foot And sketch finished one-two at Del Mar July 21 in an allowance/optional claim over 1 1/16 miles on turf in their last start. Gold Foot, trained by Sean McCarthy and ridden by Kyle Frey from No. 2, is a four-time winner and has tried stakes company only once before. Sketchy, trained by Ron Ellis and ridden by Jose Valdivia Jr. from No. 3, will be making his stakes debut.
Entries: Caesars Del Mar Derby Sportsbook (G2T)
Del MarSunday, September 1, 2024, Race 8
- Class IIT
- 1 1/8 minutes
- Grass
- $300,000
- 3 years old
- 5:00 PM (local time)
