Several runners from the GII Del Mar Derby run back in this spot, including top two finishers None Above the Law (Karakontie {Jpn}) and Flashiest (Mizzen Mast). Winner of a pair of stakes at Golden Gate, None Above the Law captured the state-bred Real Good Deal S. at Del Mar July 30 before taking the Sept. 4 Del Mar Derby. Flashiest took the restricted Oceanside S. July 16, but was a well-beaten 11th in the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational S. Aug. 7. He was only 3/4 of a length behind None Above the Law last out.

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Trained by John Sadler, Rock Your World, who won his first two starts on grass here last winter, transitioned to the main track for the first time in his third start, the Santa Anita Derby on April 3 and he responded with a resounding 4 ¼ length win over eventual Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit.

From there, it was downhill, as Rock Your World was distanced in the Run for the Roses May 1, finishing 17th, beaten 24 ¼ lengths and was then run off his feet in the Belmont Stakes, finishing 22 lengths behind Essential Quality while running sixth. Freshened by Sadler, Rock Your World, who was bred by Hall of Fame conditioner Ron McAnally and his wife Debbie, came back to run a big second, beaten 1 ¼ lengths by Medina Spirit in the one mile Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar Aug. 29 when reunited with Umberto Rispoli, who hadn't ridden him since victorious in the Santa Anita Derby.

Owned by Hronis Racing, LLC and Talla Racing, LLC, Rock Your World is by Candy Ride out of the Empire Maker mare Charm the Maker. A winner while forwardly placed of the one mile turf Pasadena Stakes in his second start on Feb. 27, Rock Your World sat a close third early to the top of the lane and kicked on nicely through the lane under Rispoli in an effort that suggests he does not need the lead in his return to grass on Sunday. The leading money earner in the field with $611,600, Rock Your World has three wins and a second from six starts.

Under a picture perfect ride from Joe Bravo, California-bred None Above the Law saved ground, idled patiently around the far turn and kicked through at the rail to take a roughly run Grade 2 Del Mar Derby at a mile and one eighth on turf Sept. 4. Second, beaten a neck over the course here at Santa Anita in the mile and one eighth Snow Chief Stakes four starts back on June 19, this gelding by Karakontie has shown ample versatility and gameness over 14 starts for Peter Miller, posting a 6-2-1 record.

Owned by Downstream Racing, LLC, None Above the Law has won four stakes over three different surfaces, two at Del Mar and a pair at Golden Gate Fields and he has earnings of $454,060.

Trainer Jeff Mullins' Irish-bred Zoffarelli, fresh off a couple of rough trips on turf at Del Mar, needs only clear sailing to have huge chance in the Twilight Derby. Second, beaten a nose going a mile and one sixteenth in his U.S. debut in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap Aug. 8, he was “pinballed late” in a huge effort. Subsequently sixth, beaten two lengths by None Above the Law after lacking room in a field of 13, Zoffarelli looms large indeed with Drayden Van Dyke riding back.

Owned by Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal, Zoffarelli has a 9-2-5-0 mark with earnings of $110,825.

Third, beaten a head as the 8-5 favorite by Zoffarelli two starts back in the Grade 3 La Jolla, Bob Baffert's Hudson Ridge was a much troubled ninth, beaten 3 ¼ lengths, as the 9-5 favorite in the Del Mar Derby when ridden for the first time by Flavien Prat. Severely pinched at the rail in the run out of the mile and one eighth chute at Del Mar, Hudson Ridge became rank and then had nowhere to go a furlong from home.

A winner of the ungraded Cinema Stakes at a mile and one eighth on turf four starts back here on May 23, Hudson Ridge will hope for clear sailing on Sunday with Prat back aboard. A bay colt by 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah out of the Galileo mare Shell House, Hudson Ridge is owned by Double L Racing and Natalie J. Baffert. With two wins and as many seconds from eight starts, he has earnings of $143,440.

A pair of recent turf allowance winners, the John Shirreffs-trained Beyond Brilliant, an impressive gate to wire winner going a mile and one sixteenth at Del Mar Sept. 6 and Richard Mandella's Subconscious, who although he stayed on his left lead through the lane, kicked nicely for home to win by 1 ¼ lengths going a flat mile on Oct. 2, are both up and comers who figure to stay out of trouble.

THE GRADE 2 TWILIGHT DERBY WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 10 of 10 Approximate post time 4:45 p.m. PT

1. Flashiest—Abel Cedillo–124
2. Subconscious—Juan Hernandez—124
3. Zoffarelli—Drayden Van Dyke—124
4. Hudson Ridge—Flavien Prat—124
5. None Above the Law—Joe Bravo—124
6. Wooton Asset—Mike Smith- 124
7. Cathkin Peak—Jose Valdivia, Jr.—124
8. Rock Your World—Umberto Rispoli—124
9. Jungle Cry—Kyle Frey—124
10. Beyond Brilliant—Kent Desormeaux—124

Sunday's 20 cent Rainbow Pick Six Jackpot will be comprised of races five through 10. With a mandatory payout and the possibility of a total Rainbow Six pool of $5 million, approximate post time for Sunday's fifth race is 2:30 p.m. PT.

Special early first post time on Sunday is at 12:30 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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“He looks great, he's happy, he feels good, he's a cool head,” Miller said, referring to the horse.

None Above the Law raced three times at the meeting, finishing ninth, beaten only three lengths in the opening day Oceanside Stakes at a mile on turf on July 16, winning the Real Good Deal Stakes at seven furlongs on dirt on July 30 and then prevailing by three-quarters of a length in the 1 1/8-mile Derby when guided along the rail in the stretch by jockey Joe Bravo.

None Above the Law was the second Miller trainee to win two stakes at a summer meeting. He saddled Red Outlaw to win the Real Good Deal and El Cajon in 2014.

“I do remember Red Outlaw,” Miller said. “A real nice horse that ran for Blinkers On Stable. To win the Real Good Deal and the Del Mar Derby (as None Above the Law did) – I don't think that double has been done before.”

The win boosted None Above the Law's career earnings to $454,060, a number that Miller would like to enhance during the fall meeting here, via an undercard stakes during the Breeders' Cup days of November 5-6 or one of the Bing Crosby season stakes that follow.

“I don't know what they have on the undercard, I haven't checked but I know the Hollywood Derby in the fall would be a possibility. We'd like to keep him with 3-year-olds. I just don't think he's quite up to Breeders' Cup capabilities at this point.”

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The son of the Japanese stallion Karakontie who was bred in California by his owners, J. Kirk and Judy Robison of El Paso, Texas, found running room in the stretch and outfinished 12 rivals late to tally his sixth victory and earn a first prize of $150,000, which pushed his earnings up to $454,060. He is trained by Peter Miller.

Finishing second in the 3-year-old contest on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course was Wachtel Stable, Barber or Drion, et al's Flashiest, who had a head on Reddam Racing's Hockey Dad, the race's pacesetter who hung tough late.

Final time for the nine furlongs out of the angular Del Mar infield chute was 1:48.97.

None Above the Law paid $23.00, $13.60 and $8.60. Flashiest returned $14.80 and $8.00, while Hockey Dad paid $7.60 to show.

This was the first stakes win in the Del Mar Derby for both Bravo and Miller. The jockey is riding his first full season at Del Mar. Miller is the current meet's leading trainer and is en route to winning his eighth conditioning title at the shore oval.

In the track's Pick 6 Single Ticket Jackpot wager, the bet once again could not be hit and its carryover swelled to $556,901. If it is not hit during tomorrow's 11-race card, it will carry to closing day Monday, which will be a “mandatory” payout afternoon.

First post Sunday will be at 1:30 p.m.

Post-race quotes:

JOE BRAVO (None Above the Law, winner) – “Peter (trainer Miller) told me this horse can do anything. He wins running seven eighths on the dirt; he wins going a mile and one-eighth on the grass. We just saved all we could and I showed him daylight turning for home. He really got up under me. I'm having fun riding out here. Riding for good horsemen and riding good horses in Southern California. What more could a guy want?”

PETER MILLER (None Above the Law, winner) “I know he went from a mile on turf (9th, Oceanside Stakes) to seven-furlongs on the dirt (won Real Good Deal) to a mile and an eighth on the turf to win this. You won't find that in any training manual, that's not the way you do it. But this horse just does everything well. He's just an overachiever and I just love this horse. The Robinsons are longtime clients and what a ride by Joe Bravo.”

FRACTIONS:  :23.80  :48.00 1:12.89  1:37.51  1:48.97

The stakes win was the fourth of the meet for rider Bravo, but his first in the Caesars Sportsbook Del Mar Derby. He now has six stakes wins at Del Mar.

The stakes win was the fourth of the meet for trainer Miller, but his first in the Caesars Sportsbook Del Mar Derby. He now has 42 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The winning owners are also the breeders, J. Kirk and Judy Robison of El Paso, Texas.

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The Golden State Series offering was worth $175,500 in total and $99,750 to “Law's” connections. The homebred gelding – whose winning margin turned out to be 5 1/4 lengths – was winning the fifth race of his career and raised his bankroll to $304,060.

Downstream Racing is the nom du course of J. Kirk Robison of El Paso, Texas.

The 3-year-old test was conducted over seven furlongs and the winner covered the distance in 1:22.90 after fractions of :22.98, :46.20  and 1:10.65

Leading rider Flavien Prat was in the boot on “Law” for his third winner of the afternoon.

“We were in a good spot and he was comfortable,” said Prat. “The draw helped us. When I asked him (to go), he was a willing horse. He's a nice horse.”

Leading trainer Peter Miller tightened the cinch on the son of Karakontie for his third victory on the day.

“The No. 1 horse (The Chosen Vron) towered over the field, but he didn't fire today,” said Miller. “And it's hard to win from behind on this track. Our horse tries every time and Flavien (Prat) gave him a great ride, so we couldn't be happier.”

After eight days of racing at the Del Mar stand, Prat now has 16 wins and is well in front in the jocks' standings. Miller has racked up eight victories to easily lead the trainers' parade.

Finishing second in the Real Good Deal was the odds-on favorite The Chosen Vron, who is owned by the partnership of Fetkin, Sondereker or Thornburg, et al, while running third was Brown, Klein or Lebherz's Letsgetlucky.

The winner paid $22.00, $4.00 and $2.60 across the board. The Chosen Vron returned $2.10 and $2.10, while Letsgetlucky paid off at $3.20 for the show.

The track's Pick Six Single Ticket Jackpot wager was not hit for the sixth day in a row and its carryover pot ran up to $441,366.

Post time for Saturday's 11-race card is 2 p.m.

The stakes win was the fifth of the meet for rider Prat and his fourth in the Real Good Deal Stakes. He now has 65 stakes wins at Del Mar, 12th most of all riders all time.

The stakes win was the second of the meet for trainer Miller and his third in the Real Good Deal Stakes. He now has 40 stakes wins at Del Mar.

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Following the 2020 session at the shore that saw racing conducted before a silent and empty grandstand, this year's roar of the crowd as the runners dash down the stretch should be sweet music for all involved. Del Mar is requiring that all in attendance have a seat, so it appears likely the opener will see approximately 16,000 fans on board as the show gets started with a 2 p.m. PT first post.

Fourteen runners have had their names listed for the grassy Oceanside, so traffic and good luck will play key roles in the first leg of the Del Mar turf triple for sophomores that will continue with the La Jolla Stakes on August 8 and climax with the Del Mar Derby on September 4.

While several of the Oceanside sophs deserve an extra look coming into the test, two seem to stand out a bit above their rivals:  Exline-Border Racing, SAF Racing or Hausman, et al's Dream Shake and Downstream Racing's None Above the Law.

The former has been banging heads with some of the best 3-year-olds in the country during his brief five-race career so far this year and has been graded stakes-placed on three occasions. This will be his first attempt on the lawn, but his breeding – by Twirling Candy out of a Street Cry mare – says he should be right at home on it. Trainer Peter Eurton has named West Coast newcomer Joe Bravo to ride.

None Above the Law is a California-bred gelding by the Japanese-bred stallion Karakontie who races out of the Peter Miller barn. The gray stretch-runner was a double stakes winner at Golden Gate Fields in the Bay Area this spring and has shown an affinity for the grass. None Above the Law is a four-time winner and will have the saddle services of top rider Juan Hernandez.

Del Mar will race Friday-Saturday-Sunday for the first two weeks of its 31-day session, then stretch out to a Thursday through Sunday format for the remaining six weeks that will finish finally on Labor Day Monday, September 6.

The track will feature one of its most robust stakes schedules ever with 39 black type offerings worth more than $7.1 million. It also has an enhanced “Ship & Win” program for attracting out-of-state horses and early word is that it is working. Several Eastern and/or Midwestern trainers have sent strings to the track and the spice of competition from new faces has the makings for a fine summer stew.

First post daily will be at 2 p.m. with the exceptions of Fridays (other than Opening Day) when it shifts to 4 p.m. The final two Fridays of the stand – August 27 and September 3 – will see an adjustment to a 3:30 p.m. start to the day's activities.

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Sent off as the 9-5 post time favorite, None Above the Law paid $5.80 to win, $3.60 to place and $2.80 to show. Runner up finisher Seattle Bold, who set front-running fractions of 23.14, 46.33, 1:10.32 and 1:23.63 on the lead before getting reeled in within the final furlong, paid $5.00 to place and $3.80 to show. Third place finisher Jungle Cry returned $3.80 to show. Chief Jackson ran fourth, followed by Top Harbor, J.T's Watch, Ida Claire, Top Executive, Stalking Shadow and Que Sera Sir Ralph.

None Above the Law, who won the Silky Sullivan Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on Tapeta in April, has now made 4 trips to the winner circle from 10 starts, with 1 second and 1 third place finish. Career earnings add up to just under $175,000. None Above the Law, out of the Northern Afleet mare Legally Blanca, is trained by Peter Miller and owned by Downstream Racing LLC. He was bred in California by J. Kirk and Judy Robison.

Live racing at Golden Gate Fields returns on Friday afternoon, with first post slated at 1:20 PM PT. Next week, Golden Gate Fields offers racing Friday through Monday, with a special Memorial Day Monday holiday card on the docket.

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“He went well,” Bob Baffert said of the son of Into Mischief after the 9 a.m. drill. “I'm happy; we're all set.”

Presently, Baffert has five Triple Crown candidates: Life Is Good and Medina Spirit, who go in the San Felipe; San Vicente winner Concert Tour and runner-up Freedom Fighter, set for the Rebel Stakes and the Gotham, respectively; and Spielberg, an impressive second albeit by 4 ¼ lengths behind champion Essential Quality in Saturday's Southwest Stakes.

Baffert, a two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer, seeks to add to his record seven San Felipe victories.

His previous winners were Prime Timber (1999), Point Given (2001), Preachinatthebar (2004), Pioneerof the Nile (2009), Dortmund (2015), Mastery (2017) and Authentic last year.

Deeper Waters In San Felipe For None Above The Law
California-bred None Above the Law could face monster stakes winners who have won against open company when he runs in Saturday's San Felipe Stakes.

A son of Karakonite owned and bred by Kirk and Judy Robison, None Above the Law was second last out in the California Cup Derby at a mile and one-sixteenth on Jan. 16, prompting the pace and taking the lead into the stretch before finishing a length and a half behind victorious Big Fish.

“He showed he can get a distance but the race didn't work out the way we planned,” said Peter Miller, who trains the gray gelding. “We wanted to lay back and make one run, but he kind of made an early run at the five-eighths pole and got a little tired.

“But he's doing well, and obviously the water will be a lot deeper in the San Felipe.”

The San Felipe offers 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the winner, 20 to the runner-up, 10 to the third horse and five to the fourth.

Miller, a threat to be leading trainer at any meet in which he participates (he's currently tied for third at Santa Anita with 16 victories, two behind leader Doug O'Neill), also has three horses nominated to Saturday's G2 San Carlos Stakes for four-year-olds and up at seven furlongs, C Z Rocket, Major Cabbie and Shashashakemeup.

“We're going to run two of the three,” he said. “We're not sure which two.”

Entries for Big 'Cap Day will be taken this Wednesday.

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A joint sixth, about four lengths off the lead going into the far turn, Hernandez bided his time, angled outside three sixteenths from home and Big Fish unleashed a powerful stretch kick to run down None Above the Law in the final sixteenth.

Fourth in the one mile turf Eddie Logan Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 27, Big Fish, a 3-year-old gelding by Mr. Big out of the Into Mischief mare Perched, had been on turf and faced open company in his last four races, with both of his wins coming on the grass.

Ridden for the first time by Hernandez, he was also fitted with blinkers, after having not run in them in his last two starts.  Off at 4-1 in a field of eight, Big Fish paid $10.00, $5.80 and $3.60. He was bred in Cal;ifornia by George Krikorian.

A one mile turf stakes winner in his fourth start on Sept. 7 at Del Mar, he now has added money victories on both surfaces.  With the winner's share of $110,000, Big Fish increased his earnings to $229,018.

“I thought he preferred the turf, but since he was a Cal-bred we thought we'd take advantage of that,” said Hofmans. “He breezed well over (the dirt), the other day with Juan (Hernandez) and seemed to get over it well. He's just maturing. This horse is just now coming into himself. I think we have a better future going forward.

“I dream all the time, it's the only reason I get up in the morning,” Hofmans added. “We'll see what happens, how he comes out of it and go from there.”

Attentive to the pace throughout with Kent Desormeaux, None Above the Law finished four lengths better than pacesetter Good With People and paid $8.80 and $4.80 while off at 9-1.

Ridden by Rickey Gonzalez, Good With People finished 1 ¼ lengths in front of Warrens Candy Man and paid $3.60 to show.

Fractions on the race were 23.26, 47.50, 1:12.43 and 1:39.38.

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