2016 Del Mar Derby Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The Grade 2 Del Mar Derby is on tap for this Sunday, September 4 at Del Mar Race Course in Del Mar, California. A purse of $250,000 will be up for grabs for three year olds willing to go 1 1/8 miles on Del Mar's turf track.

A full field of 14 plus two Alternate Entries have been confirmed for the Del Mar Derby - race 8 on Del Mar's Sunday schedule. Post time is 5:30 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all 16 possible entries for this Grade 2 stakes.

2016 Del Mar Derby Race Preview at Del Mar Race Course

Lucky Bryan 9-2 - has two wins, a second and a third place finish in seven career starts for trainer John Sadler. He enters off a respectable second behind Free Rose in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap here August 6 after an Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track July 16, a fourth behind Mr. Roary and Ralis in the minor Rainbow Stakes June 18, a third behind Arcature in the minor Singletary Stakes in May and another fourth in the minor Zuma Beach Stakes back in October. Lucky Brian searches for his first stakes win in his graded stakes debut Sunday in decent form. Victor Espinoza rides the tepid morning line favorite from gate 12.

Monster Bea 5-1 - Peter Miller trained gelding has three wins, a second and a third place finish in 11 career starts. He enters off a somewhat disappointing fourth behind Free Rose and Lucky Bryan in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap here August 6 which followed a nice two race win streak - by 2 1/4 lengths in the minor Oceanside Stakes at 12-1 here July 15 and an Allowance at Churchill Downs June 10. He placed in just one of his five previous starts as well including a fifth in the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga in September and a fifth in the minor Display Stakes at Woodbine in November. Monster Bea had been in good form before last time out and will be searching for a strong bounce back Sunday from gate 8 with Gary Stevens guiding the 122 pound highweight and second betting choice.

Bet Del Mar Race Course Horse Racing with OffTrackBetting.com

Free Rose 6-1 - Richard Baltas trained gelding has three wins, a second and two third place finishes in 10 career starts. He made his stakes debut August 6 on this track and provided a huge upset win in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap after consecutive thirds in Allowance races - the last on this track July 23 and a Starter Allowance score at Keeneland April 21. Free Rose has placed in four straight races ahead of this weekend and off a breakthough victory should be a factor from post 11. Norberto Arroyo is scheduled to ride the morning line co-third choice.

Moonlight Drive 6-1 - Italian bred Bob Baffert trained colt started his career in Europe where he posted a win, two seconds and a third place finish - the only time he didn't hit the board was in his debut. He was second in a stakes in October and third in his last start before shipping in another stakes at Toulouse in November. Moonlight Drive has three starts in North America - a third last time out in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap here August 6 followed a second behind Monster Bea in the minor Oceanside Stakes on this track July 15 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Santa Anita in February. He has been competitive every time out and tries for a first stakes score Sunday. Rafael Bejarano has the mount on the co-third choice from gate 4.

Gold Rush Dancer 8-1 - has placed in 10 of 12 career starts for trainer Vann Belvoir - five wins, three seconds and two third place finishes. He makes his graded stakes debut in great form - three straight minor stakes scores ahead of this weekend - the Real Good Deal Stakes last time out on this track July 27, the Snow Chief Stakes at Santa Anita May 28 and the Silky Sullivan Stakes at Golden Gate May 1. He also won the minor Gottstein Futurity at Emerald Downs last September. Gold Rush Dancer steps up looking to make it four straight - from the rail with Flavien Prat in the saddle.

Blackjackcat 8-1 - lightly raced Mark Glatt trained colt has three career starts and two wins. He makes his stakes debut off a conditional Allowance score here over Free Rose - by 2 1/4 lengths July 23, a maiden score at Santa Anita June 5 and a fifth in his debut in May. Blackjackcat steps up in decent form and will have Mike Smith in the saddle from gate 2.

Ralis 8-1 - has 13 career starts for trainer Doug O'Neill with two wins and three second place finishes. He enters off an eighth in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational at Belmont Park July 9 and consecutive runner-up finishes - the minor Rainbow Stakes June 18 and the minor Snow Chief Stakes May 28 - both at Santa Anita. He wasn't great before that however - a tenth in the Grade 3 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs May 7 followed a fifth in the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park in April, a tenth in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park March 19, a fourteenth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and a sixth in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes October 3 at Belmont Park. He did have a good win in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes last September 7 and a second in the minor Graduation at Del Mar August 5, 2015 but has struggled in top company since. Ralis has been wildly inconsistent, has looked very good at times in his 13 starts and hopes for his first win in over a year Sunday. Mario Gutierrez has been tabbed to ride from post 13.

Dressed in Hermes 12-1 - has three wins (all stakes) and a third place finish in 11 career starts for trainer Janet Armstrong and enters off four disappointing efforts - a sixth last time out in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap here August 6, a fourth in the minor Oceanside Stakes here July 15, a sixth in the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Santa Anita in June and a seventh in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs May 7. He was OK before that - a good win in the minor Pasadena Stakes at Santa Anita March 13 and a win in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar November 29 being his best efforts. He's also posted a fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf October 30 and a win in the minor $100,000 Zuma Beach Stakes here October 10. Dressed in Hermes looked good early in his career and will be out to rediscover that form when he leaves from post 9 with Kent Desormeaux in the reins.

Trojan Nation 12-1 - Peter Gallagher trained colt took until last time out - his ninth career start to break maiden. Before that he had a runner-up finish and three thirds place in eight starts. He posted a tenth in the Belmont Stakes, a sixteenth in the Kentucky Derby and a good second in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct April 9. He wasn't great on the biggest stages but off a win could be reborn. Drayden Van Dyke will try to provide Trojan Nation a breakthrough performance from gate 10 Saturday.

Curlin Rules 15-1 - John Sadler trained colt has two wins and two third place finishes in seven career starts. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track in front running fashion August 6 after a fifth in the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita July 2, a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming May 29 and a sixth in the minor California Chrome Stakes at Los Alamitos in April. Curlin Rules has been just OK in his career but still has yet to record a stakes win although he has looked a lot better on turf. Jockey Tyler Baze will try to change all of that from gate 6.

I'malreadythere 20-1 - ended 2015 with a pair of OK thirds in graded stakes races - the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes in November and the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity in December but has failed to place in three of four starts this year. Last time out was a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Del Mar August 18 which followed a seventh and a ninth respectively in similar races and a fifth to start 2016 in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita. I'malreadythere has one win, two seconds and three third place finishes in 10 career starts and will be after his first stakes score from post 5. Tiago Josue Pereira gets the call.

Arcature 20-1 - Simon Callaghan trained colt won the minor Singletary Stakes at Santa Anita in May but hasn't been great since. Last time out was a fifth in the minor Oceanside Stakes here July 15 after an eighth in the minor Rainbow Stakes at Santa Anita June 18. He has two wins and a second place finish in six career starts and tries for a first graded stakes score from post 7. Martin Garcia has been tabbed to ride.

Diplodocus 30-1 - Richard Baltas trained colt has just one win in seven career starts with six off-the-board finishes. Last time out was a sixth in the minor Oceanside Stakes here July 15 after three straight fifths - the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby in April and the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate February 13 and in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Santa Anita January 24. He did have a maiden score on that same track January 2 - his best result to date. Diplodocus hasn't been great so far and will be after a major breakthrough Saturday. Jamie Theriot gets the call from the outside gate 14.

Mr. Roary 30-1 - George Papaprodromou trained gelding has a win, two seconds and a third place finish in 11 career starts. He won the minor Rainbow Stakes at Santa Anita June 18 - by far his best career result but stumbled to an eighth in the minor Oceanside Stakes on this track July 15 and a seventh last time out in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap August 6. He failed to place in his other two minor stakes starts. Mr. Roary hasn't been great lately but showed good form two starts back. He will have Edwin Madonado in the irons from post 3.

Ebedan - Alternate Entry - Irish bred Neil Drysdale trained gelding has two wins, a second and two third place finishes in eight career starts. Last time out was an eighth in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap here August 6 after a tenth in the minor Oceanside Stakes on this track July 15, a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming June 12, an Allowance Optional Claiming a score May 19 and a maiden score in January overseas in his fourth career start.

Materialistic - Alternate Entry - Peter Eurton trained gelding has two wins and a second place finish in five career starts. He has yet to race in stakes company but has won two of his last three starts - a Starter Allowance here July 30 and a Maiden Claiming three starts back at Santa Anita in May.

---

2016 Del Mar Derby Entries & Odds

Race 8 on Del Mar's Sunday card with a Post Time of 8:30 PM.