The El Camino Derby Attracts Full Field of Hopefuls
Race : The El Camino Derby – Grade III – $200,000
ID: 3882.2914Track : N. California
Restrictions : All horses, 3 years old
Distance : A mile and one sixteenth on the Dirt
There will be two graded races going onto the racing card for this weekend in Northern California. The first of these will be the Count Fingers Sprint (G3), but the fourteenth race on the card for this upcoming Saturday will be the star-studded El Camino Derby (G3). The world-renowned race is a popular stopping point for many of the top three-year-old horses in the country that seek to try to earn a victory in the mile and one sixteenth dirt race, perhaps some of its contenders going to to make a start in the Bluegrass Derby (G1) later on this year. Though the All Saints Derby (G1) in Louisiana is likely to attract most of these potential horses, some still may find they’re way here to the El Camino Derby (G3) in what may be a slightly less challenging race than the one being set up to the east. The weather here in California looks like it will be perfect again this weekend for racing. The race has attracted a full field of fourteen of the best three-year-olds in the area. Lets take a look at these horses now.
1. Why So Serious – (Dynaformer x Storm Cat x Unbridled) – thebear20 of Willyam13 Stables – T. McGriggs – 12/1
A lightly raced colt making his stakes debut this weekend, the son of top sire Dynaformer is undefeated so far in his racing career. His last win was by two and a half lengths in an eight and a half furlong allowance race over good dirt. The colt set a lifetime best speed figure of ninety-two for the race. The colts narrowest winning margin was a length and three-fourths in the second start of his career, a seven furlong allowance race. We’ll see this weekend if the brown colt can make it five for five in his career, in what his connections hope will be yet another picture perfect run for the three-year-old cot. The colt will likely be just off the pace out of the starting gate this weekend, stalking the pace until they come into the stretch. He’ll be one to watch this weekend to see if he can continue his undefeated racing streak.
2. Ghost Dancers – (Ghostzapper x Kingmambo x Danehill) – super22 of More Evil Than The Evil Empire – J. Jacobson – 5/1
With a pedigree that many would think might sway this Kentucky-bred colt to run over the turf, he is an affirmed runner over the main track, though only winning once in his nine career starts. The brown colt made his most recent start early last month in the Paunchi’s War Challenge, an eight and a half furlong listed stakes race. The colt finished second in the race, his second second-place consecutive finish of this racing season. He only finished back off the lead by a half of length and managed to post the first triple digit speed figure of his racing career, a one hundred three. His only win came late last year in the DelPenn MSW Restricted, his fifth career start. After his first and only win, he was stepped up to stakes caliber races, where the colt has been moderately successful. He has finished in the money in all of his listed stakes appearances, but hasn’t fared so well at graded level. His only graded start came in the Club Stakes (G2), where the colt finished off the board in sixth. The colt will likely sit off the pace in this weekends race, probably towards the middle of the field at the break, though he may be further up with the rest of the pack, perhaps sitting back in third or fourth if the pace is slower out of the gate.
3. Disrepute – (Dixieland Band x Fusaichi Pegasus x Housebuster) – pjstables of Pedro’s Racing Empire – S. Takahashi – 12/1
Bred in Kentucky out of the race winning dam Northern Resort and by now-pensioned sire Dixieland Band, this brown colt will be returning to the dirt and to graded stakes races this weekend in the El Camino Derby (G3) for the first time in his career since his first three races of his career. The colt began his racing career on the dirt, winning his first start out, placing in an allowance and then finishing off the board in the High Roller’s Juvenile (G2). After that race the colt was switched over the the turf, winning his first two starts over the surface including one listed stakes race. The colt improved his speed figures over the lawn and became a two-time listed stakes winner over that surface. However, the connections of the brown colt would like to try him once more over the dirt to see if maybe he may have matured over the main track surface since his starts as a two-year-old. In his dirt races last year the colt hung back around the middle of the field at the break in the race. Try looking for him there and possibly making an early move on the rest of the field in the turn before the stretch.
4. House Of Wolves – (Silver Deputy x Storm Cat x Marfa) – watershed of Rvd Stables – P. Lambert – 17/1
Very lightly raced throughout his short career, this chestnut colt has only made three lifetime starts out of the gate so far in his racing career. He’s finished in the money in all of these races, and on the board in two of the three starts. He made his debut late in the 2008 racing season in a seven furlong maiden special weight race and came home to finish fifth in the race. His next race, another maiden race over the same conditions game him his first and only win on the track, the colt out of the graded winning dam, Beating On The Cat, winning by two lengths. His final, and most recent start was in the mile long Buda With The Slew, a listed stakes race in which he set a record speed figure of ninety while coming home to finish second in the race. This weekends start in the El Camino Derby (G3) will be the first in what will hopefully be a long future filled with graded stakes starts for the Kentucky-bred colt. He will likely start off the pace, probably just off of the middle of the field out of the gate, biding his time until the field comes to the stretch.
5. End Up Alone – (El Corredor x Forty Niner x Nureyev) – undercover of Desperado Stables – S. Munoz – 8/1
Out of the race-winning mare Howdoyoulikemenow, the chestnut son of El Corredor has been lightly raced throughout his career so far and has made a total of seven trips to the track. However, consistency is the key with the Kentucky-bred three-year-old as he has finished on the board in all but one of his races to date. The most recent of these races came in late January during the Eighty Nine Breed Handicap, a listed stakes race over a mile. The colt finished second in the race, back off the lead by one length, with a lifetime best speed figure of ninety-six. The colt has won a stakes race before, the Prophetic Son Challenge, as a two-year-old late last year. However, the chestnut colt has never made a graded start, making his debut at the new level of racing this weekend in The Camino Derby (G3). He’ll likely be just slightly off of the pace out of the gate, stalking the front-running horses back in third of fourth before surging forward in the stretch.
6. Lustrum – (Awesome Again x Unbridled x Buckpasser) – catullus of Catullus Stables – T. Bay – 12/1
Making his graded debut race this weekend, the impeccably bred chestnut colt will be making his eleventh career start. He’s coming off an allowance race over nine furlongs which he won impressively early last month by one and three-fourths lengths. He was victorious in wire to wire fashion in the race, ending up tying his lifetime record speed figure of ninety-two. He had first set this speed figure in his prior start in the Strip Mining Cap, a listed stakes race over seven and a half furlongs. The chestnut colt came home third in this race. The colt has had nearly a spotless career save for some ventures to the muddy track and one start over the lawn that didn’t end well for the horse. He likes running toward the lead and will probably be leading out of the gate on Saturday, and if not, possibly tucked in behind a few horses until given his cue to go.
7. Spanish Sword – (El Prado (IRE0 x A.P. Indy x Summer Squall) – super23 of More Evil Than The Evil Empire – G. Knernutt – 9/1
Out of impressive multiple stakes-producing mare Fly Like The Wind, the light gray colt coming to the track for the El Camino Derby (G3) this weekend may be a force to be reckoned with. He will be switching back to the main track after a brief venture into the world of turf racing. His last start in the Rantofan Handicap (G3) over the turf in Oklahoma left the colt finishing in eleventh place with a diminished speed figure of eighty-four. It was this race that was the main deciding factor to try sending the colt back to the dirt. The colt has had only one win over this surface, coming in the Kick Up Your Heels Memorial, a listed stakes race over six furlongs that the colt made as a two-year-old last racing season. He since made numerous listed and graded stakes starts over the dirt but never managed to finish better than second in the eight and a half furlong listed N. Clan Cap with a speed figure of eighty-four. When he was running on dirt the colt was fairly versatile, both running near the front and coming from behind, so its a possibility that we may see this colt do anything this weekend in terms of his running style.
8. Airmont Survivor – (Lion Hearted x Danzig x A.P. Indy) – dundy of Dundey Acres – Ti. Matthews – 13/1
Getting into the El Camino Derby (G3) with just eight stakes points, this brown three-year-old out of the stakes placed mare Tasty, is ones of the more heavily raced horses in this weekends race with a total of ten career starts. Despite this experience for the Maryland colt, he has never made any form of starts start as of yet in his career, and will go to the gate on Saturday with The El Camino Derby (G3) as his stakes debut. He has previously been a very successful allowance horse, winning one allowance race over eight and a half furlongs and finishing on the board in two other recent allowance races. His top speed figure ever recorded in a race was during his most recent start, a mile long allowance race where the colt posted a ninety speed figure while crossing the wire in second. He will probably be off the pace out of the starting gate this weekend, trailing around the middle of the back until he should start showing some closing speed in the turn.
9. Tequila Fever – (Point Given x Deputy Minister x Alydar) – texasace02 of Lone Star Racing – L. McNeil – 17/1
This will be another colt trying to make a spectacular stakes debut this weekend in the El Camino Derby (G3). The chestnut son of Preakness and Belmont winner Point Given has made five starts in his career, the lightly raced three-year-old winning two of his races do date. The colt made his most recent start at allowance level over nine furlongs. He finished three lengths back off the leader but crossed the wire in second with a speed figure of eighty-eight, a little bit down from his ninety speed figure set in a previous allowance start over eight and a half furlongs when he won by two and one-fourth lengths in just the second win of his career, and the first win at a non-maiden level. He’s been running well recently, but had a few ban starts a few races back when he finished seventh in his first allowance attempt and sixth in his first and only start over the turf. The colt is a proven come-from-behind runner and will likely be far back in the field at the break, not making his move until very late in the stretch, depending on his great closing turn of foot down the stretch.
10. Relax Wolf (CZE) – (Relaxed Gesture (IRE) x Joyeux Danseur x Mt. Livermore) – graywolf21 of Wolf’s Den – B. Dickerson – 11/1
With a total of twnety-two stakes points, the three-year-old out of the race wining mare Opera, will be making his way back to graded stakes competition this weekend after a poor run late last year in the Eruption Handicap (G1). The colt made this start last December and finished twelfth in the field, six and three-fourths lengths off the pace of the winner. The horse ended the mile long race with a speed figure of eighty-five. Since that start the colt made a detour to allowance level races, finishing on the board twice in his three allowance starts since that graded run late last year. Hist most recent start, an allowance race over a mile earned the colt a third place finish and a lifetime best speed figure of ninety. The colt will probably be ridden just of the pace of speed horses in this race on Saturday, likely lurking back behind the front-runners waiting to try to make his bid on the lead down the stretch.
11. Wild Eddi – (Eddington x Forest Wildcat x Seattle Slew) – anymore of Oneworld Stables – C. Winter – 5/1
Making his graded stakes debut after just six lifetime starts, the brown colt out of the graded winning mare Wildest Slew, will try to put in his best run of his career this weekend in the El Camino Derby (G3).. The three-year-old Kentucky-bred colt has won his last three consecutive races. The most recent of these was early last month during the eight furlong Stormy Prospector Challenge. The brown colt won convincingly by two and a half lengths while setting a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred three. His other two wins to make up his three consecutive race winning run was the Strip Mining Cap and the Gate Popping Memorial. These have been the only three stakes starts the colt has entered in during his career, winning all of them when he crossed the wire in front. The colt will likely stay off the pace towards the middle of the field at the break before probably making an early move in the turn.
12. Seduced’nabandoned – (Bernardini x Stormin Fever x End Sweep) – 4stardave of Flagdown Stables – S. Doza – 27/1
Out of the top Grade I winning mare Glass Heart and by up-and-coming superstar sire Bernardini, this brown Kentucky-bred colt will be making a comeback to graded stakes racing in the El Camino Derby (G3). He’s been impressive at the allowance level, decent in listed stakes, but unfortunately, hasn’t had much luck previously in his graded stakes starts. His most recent race was an allowance level race over a mile. The colt finished second in the race after coming off the worst race of his career. This unfortunate race was in the Upper State Juvenile Stakes (G3), late last year where the brown colt finished a well distanced thirteenth in the field and settled with a speed figure of nineteen in the eight furlong race. His other starts in graded stakes races were better, but no where near spectacular as the brown colt finished ninth in the Faber College Juvenile (G2). He has won at listed stakes level once in his career, and will hopefully be able to string his races together to make a good run this weekend in the El Camino Derby (G3) in an effort to get on the board for the first time in a graded stakes race. If the colt is going to make a good run this weekend, he’ll probably be on pace with the leaders out of the gate, probably choosing to sit right off the pace in second or third before making a run down the stretch. Anything further back than mid-pack for the colt may spell another poor finish in a graded start, he’ll need to be up close to the lead in this one if past running styles is any indicator.
13. Kid Welcome – (Pulpit x Storm Cat x Secretariat) – jake of Jake Stables – N. Mayberry – 13/1
Debuting in the first stakes start of his career, listed or graded, this brown three-year-old is out of the graded race winning mare Queen For A Day, who has produced two stakes winners during her time as a broodmare. Her three-year-old offspring made his last start in an allowance race over a mile and won the rice wire to wire by one and one-fourth lengths. His prior race, also won in wire to wire fashion, earned him another victory by one and one-fourth lengths. In fact, of all his three career wins, the colt has always won by wire to wire fashion, failing only once in his attempt to win in races that he broke the gate in the lead from. The colt has never won a race in which he did not break the starting gate in the lead. It goes without saying that this is where the colt will want to be this weekend, on the lead and unchallenged to try to make a wire to wire run of the grueling mile and one sixteenth of his first stakes race.
14. Majestic Dance – (Eurosilver x Northern Dancer x Majestic Light) – robinhood of Balata – J. White – 8/1
Accumulating the most stakes points of any of our entrants fro the El Camino Derby (G3), this dark gray homebred colt will be making his tenth career start this weekend, and for his connections, hopefully his fourth career win. The three-year-old colt is a seasoned veteran of stakes races in this field with four previous stakes starts, including two wins in the Alydar Bacon Special and the Larry’s Kings Stakes. He has made a single graded start in the Pleasure Stakes (G3) late last year. The dark gray colt finished ninth in the race, nine and three-fourth lengths off the pace of the eventual winner and settled in with a speed figure of eight-eight, down significantly from his ninety-nine speed figure he achieved in the Alydar Bacon Special. His most recent race, the Carolina Niner Stakes, wound up with the colt finishing fourth. The colt will likely wait in the wings off the pace of the main field, ideally sitting back around third or fourth early on in the race.
Tecora’s Selections
I like one of the co-favorites in this race in the form of Wild Eddi. I think he’ll possibly make it four wins in a row this weekend. He had a good start in his last stakes race with a triple digit speed figure and a nice winning margin. In the second slot I like the 8/1 shot End Up Alone. The colt hasn’t won in a while, and I don’t think he really will here either, but he’ll continue his consistency with finishing on the board in his races. For the third position I like the races other co-favorite Ghost Dancers. He’s been consistent as well but hasn’t won since late last year when he broke his maiden. He’s come real close in his last few races to clinching the win, but in the end I think he finishes third here.