Hawthorne Derby has Crystal Quest in overflow field of 14

As the summer Thoroughbred meet winds down at Hawthorne, the Hawthorne Derby has returned to its early fall slot. To be run at 1 1/8 miles on the turf course, the 54th running of the Hawthorne Derby will go as race seven on the Sunday card and drew an overflow field of 14.

Crystal Quest is the 3-1 morning-line favorite for trainer Michael Trombetta. Crystal Quest opened his 2024 season with a maiden score on the Gulfstream turf and immediately followed with a synthetic win against a tough allowance field. He rose to stakes company for his third start of the year, winning again in the Sophomore Turf Stakes at Tampa on March 24.

A shift north for the summer produced second-place performances in the John W. Murphy Stakes at Pimlico in May as well as the Boston Stakes at Colonial in July. He followed that Colonial race with a late closing fifth-place run in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 2. Pablo Morales comes in to ride Crystal Quest on Sunday.

Trainer Tom Amoss sends in a pair for the Hawthorne Derby led by Rock’n A Halo. After winning on the grass on debut at Fair Grounds in February, Rock’n A Halo was a good third in the mud in the Black Gold in New Orleans on March 2.

Moving to Churchill for the summer, Rock’n A Halo closed with a massive rally to defeat tough allowance company on the Churchill turf on May 11. He followed that race with another late-closing fourth in the Audubon over the Churchill turf before his most recent start in the Secretariat Stakes (G2) at Colonial on Aug. 11. Emmanuel Esquivel returns to Hawthorne to ride Rock’n A Halo. Amoss also sends out Higgins Boat as that runner draws the rail with Joe Rocco Jr. in the saddle.

Trainer Neil Drysdale sends horses to Hawthorne for consecutive weeks as T’Challa makes his North American debut Sunday. After finishing a fine second on debut at Southwell on April 28, T’Challa was victorious in his third career start, a win at one mile on the turf at Royal Windsor on June 10. He showed fine early speed in a game victory at Newbury on August 17 before coming back with a near miss against Handicap company at Doncaster in his most recent start. Martin Garcia is in to ride the 5-1 third choice on the morning line.

Local hopes are led by Baxley as the 6-1 fourth choice draws the outside in the field of 12 on Sunday for trainer Larry Rivelli. Making his first career start on turf, Baxley has been sharp to open his career. He broke his maiden at first asking with a front-end winning score at Hawthorne last September and made one more start at Keeneland before wrapping up his 2-year-old campaign.

He returned to the races June 22, running second in the mud at Canterbury while sprinting. After that start came three consecutive victories, at Thistledown in July, Hawthorne in August and most recently around two turns at Prairie Meadows on Sept. 2. David Cohen rode Baxley in his last two victories and rides again Sunday.

Trainer Ty Garrett also will saddle in a pair for the Hawthorne Derby, with the talented Alotaluck leading his duo. Never worse than second in five career starts, Alotaluck broke his maiden in his first start at Zia on Dec. 23.

Starting his 3-year-old season at Sunland, Alotaluck posted back-to-back runner-up efforts in the Riley Allison Derby and the Sunland Park Derbu (G3), running second to Santa Anita Derby winner Stronghold in the later of those starts. His next start was a win in the Mine That Bird Derby on April 7 before getting a rest. Returning from the five-month break, Alotaluck didn’t miss a beat, defeating allowance runners at Canterbury on Sept. 19 in a race that was taken off the turf. Luis Fuentes rode that day and rides again Sunday. Garrett also will send out Tour Queen with Eduardo Gallardo aboard.