Formidable Man still dominates Del Mar, wins Hollywood Derby

Formidable Man outfooted 10 rivals Saturday in the 84th edition of the Grade 1, $303,000 Hollywood Derby, a 1 1/8-mile race on the Del Mar turf course.

The 3-year-old colt by City of Light had shown a fondness for the seaside green this summer when he swept the listed Oceanside Stakes and the Del Mar Derby (G2).

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Umberto Rispoli was aboard the bay who is owned by Oklahomans William and Suzanne Warren and trained by Mike McCarthy. The winner returned $12.60 to his backers on the next-to-last day of autumn racing at Del Mar. He got home by three-quarters of a length in 1:48.40 with a nifty stretch punch.

“He had a fantastic trip,” McCarthy said. “I had said to Umberto maybe we go ahead and bounce out of there early. I wasn’t sure what to make of the pace. On paper it didn’t look like there was going to be a ton. Glad to see we were sitting where we were just behind the speed. He always looked like he was threatening to run a big one. A hole opened up, and he exploded.”

King of Gosford finished second, a neck better than third-place Donegal Momentum.

Formidable Man earned $180,000 for his winning run and pushed his career earnings to $637,425. He won for the fifth time in 10 starts. This was his first Grade 1 score.

“This horse has been working lights out for weeks,” Rispoli said. “Michael decided to escape to twilight there, and I think that was a perfect call, giving a horse enough time for this race. It is always a tough race at the end of the year. We have a few horses coming from back east, so we have to respect everybody and the horses from California, but look, I am pleased.”

The early fractions were 23.77, 47.84, 1:12.58 and 1:36.65.

The stakes win was the second of the meet for Rispoli and for McCarthy and their first in the Hollywood Derby. Rispoli has 34 career stakes wins at Del Mar, and McCarthy has 14.