Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner California Chrome won the 1 1/8-mile Grade I $300,000 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar Racetrack on Saturday, boosting his bid for Horse of the Year honors.
California Chrome finished two lengths ahead of Lexie Lou, the lone filly in the field of six 3-year-olds.
California Chrome, the 3-5 favorite, went to the front in the initial furlong.
Sawyer’s Hill took the lead heading into the backstretch, but California Chrome moved strongly at the far turn, surged to the lead at the upper stretch and held off all challengers in his first race on turf.
California Chrome ran the mile-and-one-eighth on the infield turf course in 1 minute, 47.88 seconds. He paid $3.40, $2.60 and $2.10. Lexie Lou paid $3 and $2.60. Talco returned $3.60 to show.
California Chrome received $180,000 for his ninth victory in 16 starts and his first since Preakness Stakes on May 17.
“I knew he was going to be sharp leaving the gate and I told (jockey) Victor (Espinoza) not to be too far out of it,” Art Sherman, California Chrome’s 77-year-old trainer, said. “When he broke really sharp, I said ‘Oh, wow.’
“But Victor knew what to do when Sawyer’s Hill wanted the lead. There was never any point where I was really anxious. I was confident.”
California Chrome was the seventh Kentucky Derby champion to race at Del Mar after winning the nation’s most famous race and first since Giacomo, the 2005 winner.
California Chrome’s bid for the Triple Crown ended with a dead heat for fourth in the Belmont Stakes on June 7 when he was stepped on by the horse next to him at the start, tearing some tissue in his right front heel.
California Chrome returned to racing Sept. 20, finishing sixth in the Pennsylvania Derby. He was third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 1.
— City News Service
