Bowies Hero © Benoit Photo
The summer season’s three-year-old championship will be on the line Sunday in the 73rd running of the Grade II $250,000 Del Mar Derby at a mile and one-eighth over the infield Jimmy Durante grass course.
Eleven sophomore runners were entered in the Del Mar Derby, including Bowies Hero, winner of the opening-day Oceanside Stakes, and Sharp Samurai, victor in the La Jolla Handicap. Tiago Pereira has the call on Bowies Hero from trainer Phil D’Amato, while Gary Stevens again has the assignment aboard Sharp Samurai for conditioner Mark Glatt.
Also certain to attract support is Big Score, who won the Transylvania at Keeneland last spring and competed well in both the American Turf at Churchill Downs, beaten only a length in third, and the Penn Mile, second to Frostmourne. More recently, the Tim Yakteen-trained son of Mr. Big was eighth to Oscar Performance in the Grade I Belmont Derby July 8. Flavien Prat has the mount.
Others in the Del Mar Derby line-up are Harbor Master, Victor Espinoza; Monster Man, Santiago Gonzalez; Marckie’s Water, Corey Nakatani; Fashion Business, Joe Talamo; Colonist, Rafael Bejarano; Double Touch, Tyler Baze; Sorry Erik, Kent Desormeaux, and Ritzy A.P., Evin Roman. All three-year-olds will carry 122 pounds.
Supporting feature of a ten-race program will be the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf for two-year-olds at one mile on the grass. Entrants are Martin Riggs, Pubilius Syrus, Bombardeo, Big Buzz, Kazan, Respect the Hustle, Cono, My Boy Jack, Linburgh’s Kitten, Captain Buzzkill, Armour Plate, Take The One O One, Encumbered and Rockaway. Also eligible are For Him and An Ocala Ten.
Post time for the first race is 2 p.m.