Del Mar wrapup: Program Trading wins Grade 1 Hollywood Derby
Under a savvy ride by youthful veteran Flavien Prat, Great Britain-bred ridgling Program Trading rolled late to come away a neck winner of the 83rd running of the Grade 1, $301,000 Hollywood Derby on Saturday afternoon at Del Mar.
The son of Lope de Vega who was sent west for the race by trainer Chad Brown was well behind early in the field of seven 3-year-olds in the 1 1/8-mile turf. He was maneuvered to the front near the eighth pole and then responded to Prat’s urgings to hold off hard-charging Webslinger nearing the wire. Silver Knott finished third.
Click here for Del Mar entries and results.
“He was actually pretty relaxed before the race,” Prat said of Program Trading. “We had a good trip. The pace was pretty fair. He relaxed well. He had a good turn of foot. Luckily there was a horse in front of me that bolted around the turn, so I had a clear path. As soon as I asked him to make a run, he was there for me. I think he will still improve. He has run well every time.”
The winner, who went off at 9-10 in the tote, paid $3.80 after covering the nine furlongs in 1:47.82. He earned a first prize of $180,000 to increase his bankroll to $695,520. It was his fourth victory in five starts with two of those tallies coming in Grade 1 stakes.
The early fractions were 23.17, 47.19, 1:12.19 and 1:36.47.
“The pace was fast, and he settled down a little bit on the backside,” said José Hernández, an assistant to Brown. “He was a little behind in the post parade. He was playing. I had him stay with the pony, make sure they’re OK. The horse, he’s been doing so well. We arrived Tuesday. He galloped three or four days. This is our routine, trying to win some races.”
Prat’s victory was his 94th stakes win at Del Mar, tying him for seventh-best among all local riders and tying him with Hall of Famers Bill Shoemaker and Eddie Delahoussaye.
Zona Verde sets early pace, wins Jimmy Durante
Speed was the key for the gray filly Zona Verde, who was ridden to victory by Del Mar’s leading rider Juan Hernández in the $102,000 Jimmy Durante (G3).
Trained by the track’s leading conditioner Phil D’Amato, the Ireland-bred daughter of the Kingman sire Calyx went to the front early, held her nine opponents safe and covering the mile on turf in 1:36.02, getting home a length the best. The winner registered her first stakes victory and paid $23.60 to her backers.
Post-time favorite Lady de Berry finished second in the 2-year-old filly feature. She out-finished Yatta by a neck.
Zona Verde picked up a check for $60,000, pushing her bankroll to $114,926.