Choo Choo powers to victory in California Derby

Choo Choo ($4) looked like the Little Engine That Could on Saturday with a solid victory in the $100,225 California Derby at Golden Gate Fields.

Though he raced wide most of the way – four wide on the first turn and three wide down the backstretch – the even-money favorite pulled alongside pace-setting Intimidate after the field had straightened out in the stretch and clearly showed his superiority down the lane, scoring a 1 3/4-length victory over Mugaritz. Intimidate was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third.

Intimidate was coming off a nice win the King Glorious at Los Alamitos. He wasn’t under as much pressure early in the California Derby as first Kylemore and then Generally Lucky provided the early pace competition, but Choo Choo, under Juan Hernandez, moved up into second by the quarter pole and was not to be denied.

Mugaritz, who had won two straight in wire-to-wire fashion, was taken off the lead as planned and finished nicely.

Choo Choo, a Calumet Farm homebred by English Channel, has shown steady improvement for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Saturday’s victory was his first stakes win and first start over a synthetic surface. He had made four straight starts in turf routes after showing little in his debut on dirt Sept. 9 at Los Alamitos.

Choo Choo is a full brother to Blueskiesnrainbows, who won the Swaps Stakes as a 3-year-old and ran third in the Santa Anita Derby for Hollendorfer. Blueskiesnrainbows won three graded-stakes races and was second in the Breeders’ Cup Marathon, so longer distances than Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile race shouldn’t be a problem for his younger brother.

“We thought [Choo Choo] would like the synthetics and thought this would be a good spot for him,” said Hollendorfer, who has won the California Derby nine times since 1991. “He ran good.”

The 3-year-old colt earned $60,000 for his victory, improving his lifetime earnings to $115,188. He previously ran fourth in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille at Del Mar and was third in the Eddie Logan at Santa Anita.