El Camino Real Derby 2019: Odds and analysis

Saturday’s $100,000 El Camino Real Derby, the season's Kentucky Derby 2019 prep at Golden Gate Fields, attracted a field of 13 for Saturday's running at 1 1/8 miles over the all-weather track.

The El Camino Real Derby received Grade 3 status in 1985, but returns to a listed stake this year. However, this is only the second time since at least 2000 as many as 13 horses have been entered. An increase in entries could be due in part to the new incentive: a fees-paid automatic berth to the May Preakness Stakes for the race's winner. It also awards Derby qualifying points on a 10-4-2-1 basis.

The feature goes as Race 7 of 9 with a post time of 6:45 p.m. ET. Below is a look at the field, with projected morning line odds by HRN:

1. Angelo’s Pride, 30-1 (Lakerville – William Delia/Silvio Amador – 6:2-0-1 – $23,686): The local runner put things together fourth time out in October when rallying to win at a mile. He prevailed again at that distance in late December over another rival here, Mayor Cobb, and finished third beaten a length on Jan. 17 in a race Mayor Cobb won. Angelo’s Pride’s last two races came in starter allowance company, and he broke his maiden at the claiming level. He’ll need his strongest rally yet to make some noise here. Toss.

2. King of Speed, 6-1 (Jimmy Creed – Jeff Bonde/Heriberto Figueroa – 8:2-1-1 – $146,325): King of Speed started on dirt before improving when switched to the turf. He closed from far back to break his maiden in the one-mile Del Mar Juvenile Turf, then won the Zuma Beach at Santa Anita. He had no rally over soft going in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, nor when back on dirt in the Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity (G1). The all-weather track might be more to his liking. Board hitter.

3. Data Hawk, 30-1 (Data Link – Tim McCanna/Ricardo Gonzalez – 5:1-1-1 – $26,785): In races at Golden Gate Fields, Data Hawk has hit the board. Running in Southern California, however, he has finished exclusively out of the money, facing future stakes runners Savagery and Sueno first out at Del Mar. He then ran last over Santa Anita’s turf two starts later. Data Hawk broke his maiden on the all-weather at Golden Gate going 1 1/16 miles on Dec. 9 befre running third behind Anothertwistafate and Rey Coliman in a Jan. 4 allowance race at a mile. As with fellow local runner Angelo’s Pride, he doesn’t look fast enough to rally against this field. Toss.

4. Anothertwistafate, 7-2 (Scat Daddy – Blaine Wright/Juan Hernandez – 3:2-0-0 – $34,545): This colt is a clear standout among the Golden Gate locals and appears especially dangerous with little speed entered against him. He’s the lightest raced horse in the field but also sports two wins over the all-weather track. Wright said Anothertwistafate didn’t enjoy the dirt kickback in his first start sprinting at Santa Anita, but has led every step of his two local starts since then. He broke his maiden going 1 1/16 miles to win by four, then won a mile allowance race by five with improving speed figures. Win contender.

5. The Creep, 12-1 (Twirling Candy – Doug O’Neill/Brice Blanc – 9:2-1-0 – $55,789): The Creep owns wins on turf and dirt, both at a mile, and is stakes-placed over Golden Gate’s synthetic. He’s won from both off the pace and on the lead, but could sit close to Anothertwistafate given this relaxed pace scenario. He seemed to improve after breaking his maiden as a claimer in late August, leading every step of a starter allowance over Golden Gate’s turf two months later. Here, though, he'll have to rebound from two off-the-board finishes. Three starts back he was second to Sueno in the Gold Rush Stakes. Perhaps he could make an impact again. Use underneath.

6. Weekly Call, 15-1 (Will Take Charge – Doug O’Neill/Alonso Quinonez – 6:1-1-1 – $39,133): Weekly Call has either tried to close or set the pace in his races, showing varied running styles. First, he rallied to win a maiden claiming race over the turf during Del Mar’s November meet. He was fifth in the Dec. 28 Eddie Logan when trying to repeat that run, then went back to the lead Feb. 3 in an allowance optional claiming race at Santa Anita, where he finished third. This will be his first time on synthetic, but as with his stablemate to the inside, he might find Golden Gate’s company more to his liking. Pretender.

7. Eagle Song, 10-1 (No Nay Never – Mark Glatt/Julien Couton – 10:2-2-0 – $36,863): The Irish import boasts plenty of experiences with both his victories overseas before his auction purchase and move to California. Those victories came at seven furlongs over the synthetic track at Dundalk, and from there he was back on the turf at Santa Anita. Eagle Song ran fourth on the downhill course Jan. 11 after a slow break and improved to second when stretched out to a mile Feb. 1. He’ll likely be off the pace if not farther back in the field. If he takes to the distance, he might make a surprising contender given his experience over this type of surface. Live longshot.

8. Rey Coliman, 30-1 (Fort Larned – Felix Rondan/Catalino Martinez – 7:1-2-1 – $41,418): Rey Coliman is another local runner who has won on the all-weather and ran second on the turf. He’s shown he likes to come from far back, but hasn’t done so successfully beyond spring distances yet. The lone victory came against Cal-breds going 5 ½ furlongs Aug. 26. Two starts back he showed no speed in the Gold Rush and finished eighth. He was a well-beaten second to Anothertwistafate last out. Toss.

9. Kingly, 5-2 (Tapit – Bob Baffert – 2:1-1-0 – $43,200): Kingly could be a dangerous invader here if he likes the synthetic, and he should take money given his connections and breeding as a full brother to Mohaymen, the Grade 2 winner who was fourth in the 2016 Derby. Kingly made his Dec. 1 debut an impressive one, as he broke on top, then rated off pacesetters before re-rallying to win at six furlongs. He returned in a Jan. 31 allowance optional claiming race while stretching out to a mile. That day, he failed to catch winner Extra Hope, though the race ran over a wet track, and often those become speed-favoring at Santa Anita. Tepid favorite.

10. Knight’s Cross, 20-1 (Mizzen Mast – Keith Desormeaux/Diego Sanchez – 7:1-1-1 – $34,380): It could be the new running style or drop in class, but Knight’s Cross broke through in his sixth career start on Dec. 28, leading every step of a mile event in maiden claiming company. The win over Santa Anita’s main track came following attempts on both turf and dirt. He ran back at the same distance in a Jan. 13 starter allowance and settled off the pace. Knight’s Cross was caught by a nose and finished 5 ½ lengths in front of the third-place horse. He’s been improving, but takes a step up here. Pretender.

11. Royal Insider, 30-1 (Divine Park – Eoin Harty/Frank Alvarado – 4:0-0-0 – $7,625): This Godolphin runner is still looking for his first win – and his first finish in the money – plus this represents a tough ask here with more experienced runners that fit better. That being said, Royal Insider has faced the likes of Extra Hope, Nolo Contesto and Omaha Beach, all well-regarded in the division. He did practically zero running at the back after breaking slow his first two starts and showed more involvement his last two races. Still...Toss.

12. More Ice, 10-1 (More Than Ready – Jerry Hollendorfer/Abel Cedillo – 6:2-0-2 – $84,033): More Ice has done most of his running on the turf and broke through third time out at the end of Del Mar’s summer meet. After a slow break his first two times out, he came from off the pace to win at a mile on the grass. The aforementioned Omaha Beach finished third. More Ice faded to last in the Zuma Beach but rebounded Nov. 12 with an allowance optional claiming win, then followed up with a third in  the Eddie Logan on Dec. 28. He posted a pair of local works and enters with improving speed figures. Board hitter.

13. Mayor Cobb, 20-1 (New Year’s Day – Jonathan Wong/William Antongeorgi III – 6:2-2-2 – $46,680): Mayor Cobb is familiar with Golden Gate, with five of six starts locally. He broke his maiden third time out going a mile on the track’s turf course Nov. 18. From there, he returned to be third in the Gold Rush, posted a runner-up finish on Dec. 28 and also ran second on Jan. 17. While a nice fit on the Golden Gate circuit, he’s facing a tougher class in this race. Pretender.

Summary: The nine furlongs means a distance test for most of this field, while the classier SoCal runners also have to deal with a new surface. Anothertwistafate looks like he holds an advantage with his running style and could very well take them all the way. Kingly, who scratched from Saturday's Risen Star (G2), finds a softer spot to see if he can move forward. King of Speed looks eligible to improve on synthetic, while Eagle Song and More Ice shouldn't be ignored.