Klaravich Stables' Domestic Spending closed fast down the Del Mar stretch to snag his first graded victory by a head in the $303,000 Hollywood Derby (G1T) Nov. 28.
Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., the 3-year-old Kingman gelding ran down grade 2 winners Get Smokin and Smooth Like Strait while holding off grade 1 winner Gufo to hit the wire first.
Domestic Spending awarded trainer Chad Brown with a third Hollywood Derby victory, following Raging Bull in 2018 and Annals of Time, co-owned by Klaravich, in 2016.
"He broke a little slow but he was in good position, and at about the half-mile point he started picking it up and by then I knew he was going to be there at the end. He's a really good horse," said Brown's assistant Jose Hernandez.
Off at 4-1, Domestic Spending was second to last in the 11-horse field at the beginning of the 1 1/8-mile grass test for sophomores. Get Smokin, the frontrunning winner of the Hill Prince Stakes (G2T) last out, took the lead while Smooth Like Strait, who captured the Twilight Derby (G2T) in his previous start, settled in his usual stalking position in second. Fractions were :23.87, :48.23, and 1:12.38 through six furlongs, with Domestic Spending moving up a position at each point of call.
Smooth Like Strait, the 5-2 favorite, ramped up the challenge to Get Smokin down the lane as Domestic Spending began to display a quick turn of foot. Domestic Spending got up to fifth as Get Smokin ran a mile in 1:35.79 and was chased by Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) winner Gufo. Though Get Smokin yielded late, Domestic Spending still had to grind out a win in the final strides and just edged Smooth Like Strait at the wire.
The final time on firm turf was 1:47.15.
"I thought I was going to be closer with him, but he came out of there a little slow and we were in the back," Ortiz said. "I worked my way up on the backside, and he was running perfect. When I asked him for his run at the three-eighths (pole), he was ready. He really put in a nice kick. He's been a little green in his earlier races, but he's getting better all the time."
Smooth Like Strait held for second, and Gufo was a neck back in third. Another half-length back was Get Smokin in fourth. Though Domestic Spending did not run in the Belmont Derby, he also beat Gufo in the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes.
Reigning juvenile male champion Storm the Court, returning from a sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), finished seventh.
Domestic Spending boasts a 4-0-1 record from five starts and has earned $520,900. He was purchased by Klaravich for $412,430 from Highclere Stud at the 2018 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1.
Bred in Great Britain by Rabbah Bloodstock, he is the only foal out of the stakes-winning Street Cry mare Urban Castle.
