Brown once again has the goods in Hollywood Derby

One month after California horses got swept by out-of-state shippers in the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita, a similar scenario is developing in California’s first Grade 1 since – the Hollywood Derby on Saturday at Del Mar.

The top three finishers in last month’s Grade 2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita enter with proper credentials, but the Hollywood Derby is always tougher, especially when the deepest turf stable in the country comes calling.

East Coast trainer Chad Brown shipped Program Trading and Redistricting to Del Mar this week, seeking his fourth win in the Hollywood Derby. Although the shippers hold the advantage in the 1 1/8-mile turf race, their West Coast counterparts are not pushovers.

Seal Team, Silver Knott, and unlucky Webslinger – one-two-three in the Twilight Derby – will try to thwart Brown’s tandem in the $300,000 Hollywood Derby, race 7 Saturday. The card also includes the $100,000 Stormy Liberal for turf sprinters, race 3, and the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, race 5.

The role of Hollywood Derby favorite should go to Grade 1 winner Program Trading, who in summer defeated Webslinger, an unlucky third last out. Webslinger was best in the Twilight Derby, badly compromised by a wide trip. He kicked late and missed by a half-length to one-two finishers Seal Team and Silver Knott.

The field also includes outsiders Maltese Falcon, Reiquist, Watsonville, and Santorini. However, if the Hollywood Derby is anything like the Breeders’ Cup – horses whose last start was in California went 0 for 33 – the play in the Hollywood Derby might be a shipper. Brown starts an established Grade 1 winner and an allowance gelding making his fourth career start.

“Program Trading is more accomplished, has more seasoning and experience, and is proven at this level,” Brown said. “Redistricting is very lightly raced. He’s very promising.

“He needs to step up and continue to develop to get to the level of Program Trading. Training in the morning, he acts like he’s up to it, but he’s just a little bit behind in his development.”

Both are owned by Klaravich Stables; Program Trading will try to bounce back from his first defeat. After three wins including the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby, Program Trading was heavily favored in the Grade 3 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs. Circumstances were against him.

“He had a challenging post [9 of 9],” Brown said. “He had to be used a little bit early and was a little too close to a fast pace. I think it cost him late. If he had drawn better, it would have been a very, very close race.”

Program Trading ran well to finish second. The race was validated when winner Integration crushed a Grade 2 next out and third-place Runaway Storm returned to win a Grade 3. Brown has targeted the Hollywood Derby for Program Trading since that Sept. 9 race. Flavien Prat rides Program Trading from post 8.

Redistricting is 2 for 3 and unexposed, with just a maiden and allowance win sandwiched around a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby. He had an alibi for his loss.

“He lost a shoe in the race, a front shoe,” Brown said. “He has problematic feet, and that’s the worst kind to lose a shoe.”

Brown nursed Redistricting back into condition, returning him in an entry-level allowance at Aqueduct. Brown’s pre-race instructions to jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. were to sit, wait, blast home, win, and save something for the Hollywood Derby. Mission accomplished.

Redistricting won by two lengths in an ideal prep. He makes just his fourth start Saturday, same as Brown’s 2016 Hollywood Derby winner Annals of Time. Joel Rosario rides Redistricting from post 7.

Though the top three Twilight Derby finishers qualify as locals based on their most recent start, winner Seal Team is the only true West Coaster in the trio. Runner-up Silver Knott is trained by Europe-based Charlie Appleby. Webslinger is trained by East- and Midwest-based Mark Casse.

Webslinger’s better-than-looked third in the Twilight Derby flattered Program Trading, who beat Webslinger in the Saratoga Derby. Webslinger has won four races and more than $1 million from 12 starts, and is the most accomplished in the Hollywood Derby field. Tyler Gaffalione is the new rider for Webslinger following his bad trip last out.

Seal Team needs no excuses. He raced once as a 2-year-old, finished second, and returned as an improved horse at age 3.

“He grew up nice,” trainer Richard Mandella said. “We thought a lot of him last year, we think more of him this year.”

After his comeback maiden win in August, Mandella told owner-breeder Ramona Bass he felt Seal Team was good enough to win the Twilight Derby. Mandella was right. Saturday at Del Mar, the question is clear. Is Seal Team good enough to win the Hollywood Derby from post 9 under Umberto Rispoli, or will a shipper play spoiler?