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Triple Crown Weekend Prep Report Card: Upping The Ante For Kentucky Derby Points

The stakes got a lot bigger last Saturday for horses on the road to the Triple Crown with the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La. The nine-furlong race is the first of seven contests that will offer 85 Kentucky Derby qualifying points (50-20-10-5 to the first four finishers), virtually assuring the winners will get into the Derby field.

The Kentucky Derby Championship Series also has eight races worth 170 points (100-40-20-10) and one race offering 34 points (20-8-4-2).

At Golden Gate Fields in Albany, Calif., the $100,000 El Camino Real Derby handed out 17 points to the top four finishers (10-4-2-1) and the winner gets free entry into the G1 Preakness Stakes.

A number of very good horses have come out of the Risen Star (formerly known as the Louisiana Derby Trial Stakes, including the one-two finishers in 2019: War of Will, who would win that year's Preakness, and Country House, who was awarded the G1 Kentucky Derby via disqualification of Maximum Security for interference.

Three years earlier, the Risen Star was won by Gun Runner, who would go on to win the G2 Louisiana Derby, finish third in the Kentucky Derby, and take seven of his final eight career starts, capped by the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic and G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational.

The El Camino Real Derby's heyday was back in the 1980s and '90s, when a trio of Preakness winners were victorious in the race (Tank's Prospect in 1985, Snow Chief in '86 and Tabasco Cat, who also won the Belmont Stakes, in '94). Two El Camino winners went on to finish second in the Kentucky Derby: Casual Lies in 1992 and Cavonnier in '96.

The race has had little impact on the Triple Crown since Golden Gate went to the Tapeta synthetic surface in 2007.

Following is a glance at the Risen Star and El Camino Real Derby, along with my grades for the winners, which are based on how the horses looked, what Beyer Speed Figure they received, historical significance of the race and perceived quality of field.

Feb. 13 Risen Star Stakes, 1 1/8 miles, Louisiana Downs

The three horses who finished within a length of each other in the G3 Lecomte Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Fair Grounds on Jan. 16 were back: Midnight Bourbon won the Lecomte, with Proxy second and Mandaloun third. The late-running Senor Buscador, winner of the Springboard Mile last out at Remington Park in Oklahoma Dec. 18, was a new addition to a mostly local lineup of 11 starters.

Midnight Bourbon and jockey Joe Talamo did not get the lead as they did in the Lecomte, usurped by Rightandjust, who crossed over from the outside post and went pretty quickly for the opening quarter mile (:23.65). Midnight Bourbon raced off Rightandjust's right flank, about a length ahead of Mandaloun and Florent Geroux, who were three wide throughout but more engaged than in the Lecomte after the addition of blinkers by trainer Brad Cox. Proxy, with John Velazquez up, was a close fourth for the opening half mile, running in spurts and slipping back going into the far turn after a second quarter mile in :24.80 and a third quarter in :24.29 (for half-mile and six-furlong splits of :48.45 and 1:12.74).

Mandaloun winning the Risen Star, Florent Geroux aboard

Midnight Bourbon poked his head in front of Rightandjust inside the quarter pole but Mandaloun quickly was alongside and began to edge away from the Lecomte winner. The fourth quarter went in :24.76 and Mandaloun ran his final furlong in :12.89 for a final time of 1:50.39 on a fast track.

Proxy ran an uneven race but finished with interest out in the middle of the track, closing from four lengths back after six furlongs and two lengths back at the furlong pole to draw within a 1 ¼ lengths of the winner. If the son of Tapit out of the multiple G1 winner Panty Raid (by Include) puts it all together he will be a tough customer in a rematch with Mandaloun.

The winner received a 98 Beyer Speed Figure, a big improvement from the 89 he got in the Lecomte and the third successive improved figure since his debut at Keeneland last fall. The blinkers, along with more racing experience, have turned Mandaloun into a very legitimate Kentucky Derby prospect for owner-breeder Juddmonte Farms and for Cox, who also has 2020 2-year-old male champion Essential Quality and Oaklawn's Smarty Jones winner Caddo River in his quiver.

Grade: B+

Feb. 13 El Camino Real Derby, 1 1/8 miles, Golden Gate Fields

Michael McCarthy-trained Rombauer was the 6-5 favorite while making his first start since a fifth-place finish behind Essential Quality in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland last November 6. He was entered and scratched from the G3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes on Jan. 30, reportedly at the request of the owners/breeders, John and Diane Fradkin, who preferred the El Camino Real Derby.

This was the Twirling Candy colt's first race over a synthetic surface, though he began his career on turf, winning his debut last July going a mile at Del Mar, then finished sixth in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf. He then ran a good second on dirt to Get Her Number in the G1 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita Sept. 26. Then came the Breeders' Cup, in which Rombauer broke from the 13 post in a 14-horse field, was 13 lengths back after a half mile, weaved through traffic and gained steadily in the short stretch at Keeneland to be beaten 6 ¼ lengths.

Rombauer and Kyle Frey defeat Javanica in the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields

In the El Camino Real, Rombauer dropped back to last under Kyle Frey as It's My House set steady fractions of :24.00, :47.81 and 1:12.20 for six furlongs. Frey made a wide move on the turn and was up in the final yards to beat the filly Javanica by a neck, completing the distance in 1:51.64 after a mile in 1:38.56. Javanica, a Godolphin homebred by Medaglia d'Oro trained by Eoin Harty, was finishing second for the fourth consecutive stakes, beginning with the Glorious Song Stakes at Woodbine last October.

Rombauer received an 84 Beyer Speed Figure, compared to an 85 for his Breeders' Cup effort. This was not a particular strong field (the only two stakes winners won races restricted to California-breds) but a good stepping stone for Rombauer to prepare for much tougher competition down the road.

Grade: C

The only upcoming weekend Kentucky Derby points race is the Hyacinth Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse that is part of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Previously:

Feb 9 Triple Crown Weekend Prep Report Card

Feb 2 Triple Crown Weekend Prep Report Card

Jan 26 Triple Crown Weekend Prep Report Card

Jan. 18 Triple Crown Weekend Prep Report Card

Jan. 3 Triple Crown Weekend Prep Report Card

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Rombauer Wears Down Javanica For Hard-Fought El Camino Real Derby Win

Rombauer made his sophomore seasonal debut a winning one in the feature race at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, Calif., on Saturday, the $100,000 El Camino Real Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles. With the victory, Rombauer earned 10 Kentucky Derby points and an all-expenses paid, free berth into the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, on Saturday, May 15. Jockey Kyle Frey guided the son of Twirling Candy to victory for trainer Michael McCarthy.

Sent off as the 6-5 favorite in the field of eight, Rombauer sat last for the first three quarters of a mile before making an outside move on the far turn. Swinging for home while still in the clear, Rombauer quickly picked off six rivals in midstretch before digging down deep to collar runner-up finisher Javanica in the final 50 yards.

Javanica, a filly racing against boys for Godolphin, finished a neck off of Rombauer at the finish. 99-1 shot Govenor's Party completed the trifecta and It's My House, who set the pace before fading in the final furlong, held on for fourth place. Waspirant, Petruchio, Tesoro and Play Chicken completed the order of finish. Rombauer covered nine furlongs on Tapeta in 1:51.64 seconds.

With the El Camino Real Derby victory in the bag, Rombauer improved his overall record to two wins and one second-place finish from five lifetime starts, with career earnings of $210,500. Rombauer is a homebred colt bred by owners John and Diane Fradkin. McCarthy picked up his second El Camino Real Derby victory with the score, having finished first with Paved in 2018.

This is the second El Camino Real Derby win for Jockey Kyle Frey, who won the race in 2017 aboard Zakaroff.

Live racing at Golden Gate Fields resumes Sunday afternoon, with first post set at 12:45 PM. PT.

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Southern California Shipper Rombauer Tops Saturday’s El Camino Real Derby

A field of nine is entered to take flight in the feature race at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday afternoon, the Grade 3, $100,000 El Camino Real Derby for 3-year-olds. The El Camino Real Derby, run at the distance of one mile and an eighth on the “all-weather” Tapeta main track, offers ten Kentucky Derby points to the winner and an all-expenses paid, free berth into the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes. In order for the winner to earn the latter incentive, he or she must be Triple Crown nominated.

This year's El Camino Real Derby field is packed with Southern California shippers. The likely favorite, Rombauer, draws the outside post in the field of nine and is one of six entrants who make the trip north from their home base at Santa Anita Park. Rombauer makes his 3-year-old debut in the El Camino Real Derby, having most recently placed fifth in the Grade 1 Breeders Cup Juvenile in November. Earlier in the fall, Rombauer finished as the runner up in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita. The current leading rider at the Golden Gate Winter/Spring meet, Kyle Frey, picks up the mount for trainer Michael McCarthy. Frey won the 2017 El Camino Real Derby aboard longshot Zakaroff while McCarthy scored a victory one year later with the filly Paved.

Javanica seeks to become the second filly in the El Camino Real Derby's 40 year history to take home the gold medal. Javanica, a royally bred gal by Medaglia D'Oro out of Grade 2 winning mare Shuruq, has finished second in her last three starts, all against stakes competition. Eoin Harty trains for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Godolphin LLC, with veteran rider Frank Alvarado slated to navigate. Javanica will be breaking from post position 7.

Hall of Fame conditioner Richard Mandella saddles a 2021 El Camino Real Derby contender in Petruchio, by white-hot stallion Into Mischief. After breaking his maiden on turf two starts ago, Petruchio tried winners for the first time in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity and completed the trifecta. Local jockey Irving Orozco rides for the first time.

Trainer John Shirreffs sends Waspirant to the Bay Area for another shot against stakes company. Most recently, Waspirant ran fourth in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes behind two of the top 3-year-olds in California, the Bob Baffert trained pair of Life Is Good and Medina Spirit. The son of Union Rags is out of the Storm Cat mare Life Is Sweet, who won the 2009 Grade I Breeders Cup Ladies Classic (now named the Breeders Cup Distaff). Jockey Assael Espinoza has the call for owners Pam and Marty Wygod.

Owner Reddam Racing LLC and trainer Doug O'Neill won the 2016 El Camino Real Derby with Frank Conversation and, five years later, campaign the California-bred Play Chicken. Winner of the King Glorious Stakes for state-breds at Los Alamitos last December, Play Chicken looks to rebound after an off-the-board finish in the California Derby on January 16 at Santa Anita. Evin Roman is named to ride; Roman guided Kingly to a second-place effort in the 2019 El Camino Real Derby.

Positivity rounds out the list of Southern California contenders. His best run to date came in the summertime as a 2-year-old, winning the Graduation Stakes at Del Mar while sprinting on dirt. He also ran second in his next start, the Golden State Juvenile. Both aforementioned races came against California-breds. Trainer Paddy Gallagher employs his go-to Northern California rider, Julien Couton, to ride.

Three local contenders look to play spoiler for the heavy hitters from Southern California. It's My House, trained by Jamey Thomas, broke his maiden sprinting two weeks ago and stretches out in distance. Tesoro, who unofficially hit the wire first in his career debut, was disqualified for interference with another rival and enters the El Camino Real Derby still a maiden. Recent starter allowance winner Govenor's Party completes the trio of local talent and is expected to go off at a big price for trainer Dan Franko. William Antongeorgi III rides It's My House, Catalino Martinez hops aboard Tesoro and Cristobal Herrera retains the mount on Govenor's Party.

The El Camino Real Derby is Race 8 on a 9-race program at Golden Gate Fields.

First post on Saturday is 12:45 PM PT, with scheduled post time for the El Camino Real Derby stamped at approx. 4:15 PM PT.

The $100,000 El Camino Real Derby (3-year-olds at one mile and an eighth)

Positivity (trainer Paddy Gallagher, jockey Julien Couton)
Waspirant (John Shirreffs, Assael Espinoza)
Tesoro (O.J. Jauregui, Catalino Martinez)
It's My House (Jamey Thomas, William Antongeorgi III)
Petruchio (Richard Mandella, Irving Orozco)
Play Chicken (Doug O'Neill, Evin Roman)
Javanica (Eoin Harty, Frank Alvarado)
Govenor's Party (Dan Franko, Cristobal Herrera)
Rombauer (Michael McCarthy, Kyle Frey)

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East Coast Invader Headlines Durante

The New York-based Fluffy Socks (Slumber {GB}) tops a full field in Saturday’s GIII Jimmy Durante S. at Del Mar. Graduating at second asking at Kentucky Downs Sept. 7, the bay followed suit with a win in Pimlico’s Selima S. Oct. 3 over a yielding course. She missed by a nose last time in Belmont’s Chelsey Flower S. Nov. 1.

Godolphin homebred Javanica (Medaglia d’Oro) takes another crack at stakes company after rallying to be second in the Glorious Song S. on the Woodbine synthetic Oct. 17. The bay earned her diploma in her prior start on the Arlington lawn Sept. 18.

Richard Mandella saddles another juvenile filly of intrigue here in Pizzazz (War Front). Second on debut in a turf sprint at Del Mar Aug. 28, the dark bay was third in Santa Anita’s one-mile Surfer Girl S. Oct. 4 and wired the field next out over course and distance Nov. 1.

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