While sometimes the Del Mar Derby (G2T) offers a horse the opportunity to sweep the three Del Mar turf stakes for 3-year-olds, more often it shapes up like this year's renewal, the winners of the first two squaring off in the third. Conclude captured the opening-day Oceanside Stakes, and Maltese Falcon took the La Jolla Handicap (G3T). The Derby will give them the opportunity to face each other for the first time, and they will meet seven other rivals in the 1 1/8-mile turf event Sept. 3.
Phil D'Amato, in a tight race for leading trainer honors at Del Mar, has won back-to-back turf stakes with Conclude, first in the May 21 Desert Code Stakes down Santa Anita Park's hillside turf course and then in the one-mile Oceanside July 21. D'Amato elected to skip the La Jolla with the son of Collected and point for the Derby. Hector Berrios rode Conclude in the Oceanside and returns in the Derby from post 2.
Always dangerous in turf stakes and winner of the 2014 Del Mar Derby with Midnight Storm , D'Amato has also entered Almendares, naming Antonio Fresu to ride from post 5. A two-time winner in Ireland this past March before coming to this country, Almendares in his U.S. debut won a 1 1/16-mile allowance/optional claimer at Del Mar July 23.
Trainer Leonard Powell bypassed the Oceanside with Maltese Falcon, who had finished second in the June 11 Cinema Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita after being crowded at the start and shuffled back to last early. The gelding was actually breaking his maiden in the La Jolla, slipping through on the rail in the stretch with a good run to score by a length under Juan Hernandez.
"He was really brave today—he responded to me," Hernandez said following the La Jolla.
Del Mar's current leading rider, Hernandez remains on Maltese Falcon, who drew post 3.
Panic Alarm ran second to Maltese Falcon by a length in the La Jolla, his first U.S. start. John Sadler trains Panic Alarm, a two-time winner in his native Ireland when conditioned by Jessica Harrington. Sadler will be trying for his fourth Del Mar Derby, having previously won with Get Funky in 2006, Twirling Candy in 2010, and Ethnic Dance in 2013. Umberto Rispoli rode Panic Alarm in the La Jolla and remains on the gelding, who drew post 6.
Fourth in the La Jolla, Justin's Legacy previously had been racing at Gulfstream Park for trainer Amador Sanchez. There the son of Triple Crown winner Justify broke his maiden in his fourth start by five lengths. In five starts, Justin's Legacy has never had the same jockey twice, and Edwin Maldonado partners him for the first time in the Derby, from post 8.
Ah Jeez has won three races during his 12-race career, two at Del Mar and one at Meydan in Dubai. The colt broke his maiden at Del Mar last year by 3 1/4 lengths at five furlongs on turf and scored at about seven furlongs on dirt in the Al Karama Stakes Feb. 24 in Dubai. Unplaced in the March 25 UAE Derby (G2) in Dubai and the May 13 William Walker Stakes at Churchill Downs, Ah Jeez finished third in the Oceanside after being boxed in on the final turn. Tiago Pereira will ride Ah Jeez in the Derby from the rail.
Del Mar, Sunday, September 3, 2023, Race 10Entries: Caesars Sportsbook Del Mar Derby (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Ah Jeez (KY) Tiago Josue Pereira 122 Doug F. O'Neill 15/1 2 2Conclude (KY) Hector Isaac Berrios 122 Philip D'Amato 9/5 3 3Maltese Falcon (IRE) Juan J. Hernandez 122 Leonard Powell 3/1 4 4Reiquist (KY) Ramon A. Vazquez 122 Tim Yakteen 15/1 5 5Almendares (GB) Antonio Fresu 122 Philip D'Amato 3/1 6 6Panic Alarm (IRE) Umberto Rispoli 122 John W. Sadler 5/1 7 7Smart Code (KY) Mike E. Smith 122 Mark Glatt 12/1 8 8Justin's Legacy (KY) Edwin A. Maldonado 122 Amador Merei Sanchez 15/1 9 9Kid Azteca (KY) Joe Bravo 122 Peter Miller 30/1
