Del Mar: Late Stakes Taking Shape

Think of stakes nominations lists as racing’s counterpart to movie trailers.

They provide information about the players, stimulate thought regarding general plotlines and can pique the interest of both serious and casual fans enough to prompt the making of plans for attendance.

The deadline for nominations for the final nine stakes of the Bing Crosby Season at Del Mar was Thursday at midnight.

One day earlier, trainer Art Sherman had boosted the Grade I $300,000 Hollywood Derby on November 29 (or the Native Diver on the same day) to  potential blockbuster status by designating it a starring vehicle for Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner California Chrome. Thursday morning, the list of those intending to steal the show from Chrome was completed.

For the Hollywood Derby, 1 1/8 miles on turf for 3-year-olds, among the names on the list of 22 nominations in addition to California Chrome, are Home Run Kitten, Lexie Lou, Long On Value, Lucky J. Lane, Red Outlaw and Shiva Ryan.

The filly Lexie Lou won the Queen’s Plate, first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, against males in July and has gone 2-for-3 in turf stakes since being switched to grass in August. In accordance with scale weight rules, Lexie Lou would carry 119 pounds, three less than the males.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott nominated Long On Value and Tourist. Long On Value won the Twilight Derby, 1 1/8 miles on turf, under Rosie Napravnik on Friday, Oct. 31, on the Breeders’ Cup opening day undercard. Tourist was runner-up to Adelaide in the Secretariat Stakes on Arlington Million Day, August 16 at Arlington Park.

Should California Chrome go in the Native Diver, there are 19 other nominees. Among them: Big Cazanova, who set a Del Mar Polytrack record for 1 1/8 miles, the Native Diver distance, going 1:48.85 in an allowance event last August 28.

A quick look at some of the prominent horses nominated for upcoming graded stakes: