2023 Del Mar Derby Preview

The west-coast sophomore grass division has been wide open all year long, meaning this year’s edition of the Grade 2, $300,000 Del Mar Derby should grab the attention of anyone who likes to bet on horse racing. Nine three-year-olds have entered to go 1 ⅛ miles on the lawn in Sunday’s graded feature. Some have proven themselves in stakes company, some are looking for the chance to do so, and all are looking to gain momentum as the Breeders’ Cup draws ever closer.

The race has been run since 1945, originally as a dirt race under the name of the Quigley Handicap. It has been called by its current name since 1948, and moved to the lawn in 1970. Since moving to the grass, its most prominent winners have included Relaunch, Hawkster, two-time Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Da Hoss, and the good current sire Twirling Candy.

Del Mar Derby Information

• Race Date: Sunday, September 3
• Track: Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
• Post Time: 6:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time
• Distance: 1 ⅛ miles on the turf
• Age/Sex: three-year-olds
• Where to Watch: FanDuel TV
• Where to Bet: TVG.com and FanDuel Racing

2023 Del Mar Derby Draw and Odds

These are the entrants organized by post position and including trainers and jockeys. Morning-line odds will be added once the track makes them available.

Del Mar Derby Prep Race Results

The nine horses in the Del Mar Derby come out of just four last-out races. Fittingly for a local prep, four of the nine runners come out of the La Jolla (G3) at 1 1/16 miles on the grass August 16. Maltese Falcon, who stalked the pace and rallied to win by a length, fared best. Panic Alarm, who closed from further off, was second. Fourth-place Justin’s Legacy and fifth-place Kid Azteca also return; even Kid Azteca was beaten only two lengths for the whole thing.

Two more runners come out of the Oceanside, a restricted stakes that is the traditional mid-July opening-day feature at Del Mar racetrack. Conclude got the best of it that day as he stalked, vied, and cleared to win by 1 ¼ lengths. Ah Jeez ran into some trip trouble and had to settle for third.

The other three runners come out of allowance company at Del Mar. Reiquist and Smart Code crossed the wire a troubled second and third in a first-level allowance on August 13 at a mile on the lawn, though they were placed first and second after the first horse across the wire was disqualified for interference. Almendares made his stateside debut in a first-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles on the grass on July 23; he rallied from toward the rear and won by 2 ½ lengths, going away.

Del Mar Derby Contenders

These are the nine entrants in order of post position.

1. Ah Jeez: Though he was defeated in the Oceanside last out, he may have done better had he not gotten caught behind horses that day. Coming second off the layoff, he could find a bit more, too. However, he still has some challenges: he is drawn on the rail in a nine-horse field, meaning he may have trip trouble early, and he has come up short every time he has tried graded company before.
2. Conclude: Lightly raced, he has run just five times. But, most of those races have been good. He won twice in four tries down the hill through the winter and spring, and then stretched out to win the Oceanside on Del Mar’s opening day in July. Being by Collected out of Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Believe You Can, his pedigree reads like a horse who wants to go long, and he should have no trouble stretching out. It was also good to see he could stalk and pounce going long, given that his best sprint races were all wire jobs.
3. Maltese Falcon: Maltese Falcon came into the La Jolla on August 6 a maiden, but bettors made him the 3-1 favorite anyway. He ran to the money, tracking off the pace and rallying in the lane to win by a length. He has run well enough at 1 ⅛ miles and even 1 ¼ miles to suggest the step up in trip should be no problem, and his win in the La Jolla showed he didn’t have to be a deep closer as he was in so many of his previous races. Trainer Leonard Powell does well keeping last-out winners in form, so expect another sharp effort.
4. Reiquist: He was placed first last out after a troubled stretch run; he was bumped around in a chain reaction caused by the first horse across the wire, who was disqualified. It was a solid grass debut, as well as a solid first race at two turns. His pedigree suggests the extra furlong shouldn’t be a problem, though with only four starts, including none in stakes company, demand a price before taking a shot.
5. Almendares: He was a sharp all-weather sprinter at Dundalk through the winter, winning a pair of six-furlong races in March. His pedigree looked good for the turf, though, and he ran to it in his first American start in July. Trainer Phil D’Amato tends to bring horses back just as good second off the lay. The biggest question is whether he is going to want the nine furlongs. He handled a flat mile just fine, looking like a horse who can handle it; he’ll have to get that from his bottom side, since the top of his pedigree is sprint-oriented.
6. Panic Alarm: Like the horse just to his inside, Panic Alarm is also making just his second stateside start; also, like that foe, he has a sprint sire over a stamina bottom. His best form in Ireland had come at seven furlongs on the lawn, though he stretched out nicely to two turns when finishing second in the La Jolla. His best-case scenario would be seeing Justin’s Legacy and Conclude lock up early so he gets an even sharper pace to rally into.
7. Smart Code: He comes out of the same race as Reiquist—he was the beaten favorite—and also had some trouble in the lane that day. Pressing on to a Grade 1 after that race shows confidence, especially since he has yet to try stakes company. His tactical speed is a positive, trainer Mark Glatt shines with last-out beaten favorites, and big-race jockey Mike Smith does take the call: all good things. Don’t take a price, especially given the class questions, but he is going the right way, and he is bred to thrive at this longer trip.
8. Justin’s Legacy: Expect him to send from toward the outside; he hasn’t made the front in every race, but his win two back came wire-to-wire, and he was in range from start to finish in the La Jolla last out, even if he didn’t make the front. He probably won’t be alone up front with the speedy Conclude drawn toward the inside, though he could get a decent trip. He is bred for more ground, too. The biggest question, though, is whether he can run fast enough for the level—he will have to take a serious step forward in terms of speed.
9. Kid Azteca: He has yet to prove himself in stakes company, though his best stakes-level try yet was his fifth-place finish last out in the La Jolla. Both of his wins have come in sprints; he has been able to nibble underneath in route races on and off, but he still has to answer a lot of questions. Those include whether he wants to go this far, whether he can go fast enough to hang with this level of company, and whether he can handle the likely ground loss from this post.

Del Mar Derby FAQ

Q: When is the Del Mar Derby?

A: The race is carded for Sunday, September 3 at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time. It is the tenth and featured of 11 on the day.

Q: Where is the Del Mar Derby?

A: It takes place at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, California, about 20 miles from San Diego.

Q: Which trainer has the most wins in the Del Mar Derby?

A: Julio Canani leads all trainers with four victories between 1988 and 2004, most prominently with Val Royal in 1999. Among trainers entered in the 2023 edition, John Sadler lead with three wins, most recently in 2013 with Ethnic Dance. He can tie Canani if Panic Alarm wins.

Q: Who is the favorite for the Del Mar Derby?

A: The likely favorite for the Del Mar Derby is Maltese Falcon, off of his win in the graded local prep. However, with Panic Alarm coming in second off the layoff and running a good second in that first American start in the La Jolla, expect him to take action from bettors who think he can turn the tables.

Q: Who is the best Del Mar Derby jockey?

A: Laffit Pincay, Jr. and Eddie Delahoussaye, both now retired, lead all riders with five wins in the Del Mar Derby. Among jockeys with calls in the 2023 edition, Mike Smith leads all riders with two wins, most recently with Gabriel Storm in 2013.

Q: Who won the Del Mar Derby in 2022?

A: Slow Down Andy won the 2022 edition for trainer Doug O’Neill and jockey Mario Gutierrez. O’Neill returns this year with rail-drawn Ah Jeez, though Mario Gutierrez does not have a call.