Conclude delivers as the favorite in Del Mar Derby

The chestnut 3-year-old colt Conclude, owned by the partnership of Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables or Bret Jones, hung tough late to tally by a head Sunday at Del Mar in the 78th edition of the Grade 2, $300,000 Del Mar Derby.

Hector Berrios gave the son of Collected a well-timed ride and finished 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:48.61. Trainer Phil D’Amato saddled the winner who earned a first prize of $180,000. The race is considered the championship event for 3-year-old males during the Del Mar meeting.

Finishing second was Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal’s Maltese Falcon, who closed stoutly through the lane to just miss. He was a length ahead of Almendares.

Conclude, who had won the opening day Oceanside Stakes, won his third straight race and fourth overall and increased his bankroll to $359,600. He paid $4.20 to win as the 11-10 race favorite.

Hector Berrios (Conclude, winner) – “I had a good trip, all the way. He was relaxed and that’s the best. Then when we turned for home, I said ‘Vamoose!’ And he really took off from there.”

Phil D'Amato (Conclude, winner) – “A masterful ride by Hector (Berrios), letting that other horse go and then making that move at the three-quarter pole to get him comfortable on the lead. He’s tough horse. The mile and an eighth is where he wants to be at. Anywhere in that mile to mile and an eighth range he’s going to be a top class horse down the road.”