2012 Del Mar Derby
Las Vegas, NV - Del Mar Race Track in Southern California will be the scene of the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby this Sunday, September 2. Horses three years old will go one and one eighth miles on Del Mar's turf track for a nice purse of $300,000.
The Del Mar Derby has attracted a field of 10 with one alternate entry to go in race 9 on Del Mar's Sunday card. Post time is 6:00 PM. Here is a brief glance into the past performances of all 11 combatants ahead of this Grade 2 race.
2012 Del Mar Derby Race Favorites
Old Time Hockey - Tom Proctor pupil finished third in the first division of the Oceanside to follow up a win in an Allowance in the race before at Hollywood Park on June 1. Last time out however Old Time Hockey broke through with a very impressive win in the Grade 2 La Jolla Handicap - now he is officially on the Del Mar Derby radar.
Howe Great - ships from the East Coast for the Derby. He had an impressive streak of four straight wins interrupted with a fifth in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in April and bounced back with a OK third in the American Turf Stakes in May 4, a close second to Summer Front in the Grade 3 Hill Prince at Belmont Park in June and most recently won the minor Jersey Derby at Monmouth on July 21. He has five career wins in nine starts include the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes at Gulfstream on March 11 and the Kitten Joy Stakes prior to that. Howe Great is a serious turf runner and should give all the west coasters a run on Sunday.
Del Mar Derby 2012 | Remaining Field Entries
My Best Brother - wired the second division of the Oceanside recently by two lengths to follow up two other wins - a Maiden Special Weight and an Allowance Optional Claiming at Hollywood Park. Last time out was a second by a nose to Old Time Hockey in the La Jolla however. That makes three wins and a second in the last four starts and makes My Best Brother a horse to watch out for this Sunday.
Midnight Crooner - Bob Baffert trained colt most recently won the first division of the Oceanside Stakes here to follow and Allowance Optional Claiming score back in May. He also won a Maiden Special Weight at Golden Gate on February 18 but followed that up with a third in the Pasadena Stakes at Santa Anita on March 23.
Del Mar Derby betting at Del Mar with OffTrackBetting.com
All Squared Away - had a very impressive win in the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes on April 21 at Keeneland to follow up a sixth in the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes at Turfway in March. Since then All Squared Away has posted a pair of fifths - at the Marine Stakes May 12 and an Allowance Optional Claiming July 21 and a disappointing seventh in the Grade 2 Swaps Stakes. Last time out however was a decent Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track on August 12.
Tones - Doug O'Neil pupil most recently finished second to My Best Brother in the Oceanside to follow some unflattering previous results - a sixth in the Tsunami Slew Stakes on June 22 and an eighth in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs in May. Prior to that was some decent results - a win in the Baffle Stakes and a second in the Pasadena Stakes
Brother Francis - has six career starts with his only win coming last time out in a Maiden Special Weight here on August 5. Prior to that was a fifth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, two thirds and two second place finishes including a third at the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity in December and a second in the race before it at the Grade 3 Hollywood Prevue Stakes.
Smart Ellis - will be making his third start this year and seventh career start. Smart Ellis opened the year with a second in an Allowance at Santa Anita, took six months off and returned most recently to a score in an Allowance Optional Claiming here July 20. He has two wins and a second place finish in six career starts.
Power Foot - most recently finished fourth in the Oceanside here in July in his fourth career start. He broke maiden in May in his second career start but has placed in just two of his four races.
Tribal Tribute - takes an enormous step up in competition this week after two straight wins - the Robert Dupret Derby at Santa Rosa last time out and a Starter Allowance before that.
Desormais - is the alternate entry into the Del Mar Derby making his second graded stakes appearance - the first resulted in an eleventh in the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity in December. He has placed in three of seven career starts.
