Dandy Warhol stepping up, stretching out in Del Mar Derby
Dandy Warhol will have a new rider, race at a new distance, and have a tougher assignment when he starts in Saturday’s Grade 2 Del Mar Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf.
There are indications that the lightly raced Irish-bred gelding can adapt and be a factor in the $300,000 Del Mar Derby, the track’s top summertime race for 3-year-olds.
Flavien Prat, former leading rider in Southern California and now based in New York, will ride Dandy Warhol for the first time, replacing Umberto Rispoli, who rides top contender Balnikhov.
Employing Prat was a comfortable decision for trainer Mark Glatt.
“I think he might be okay,” Glatt said Monday morning.
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Dandy Warhol, who races for the partnership of Red Baron’s Barn, Rancho Temescal, and Shanderella Stables, has won 2 of 3 starts. He won a 14-horse maiden race at six furlongs on the synthetic track at Dundalk Racecourse in Ireland in March and arrived at Glatt’s stable shortly thereafter.
Dandy Warhol was a troubled sixth in his American, and stakes, debut in the Oceanside Stakes at a mile on turf July 22 and rebounded to record a nose win in an allowance race at a mile on turf Aug. 13.
In both races, Dandy Warhol closed from well off the pace, giving Glatt the hope that Dandy Warhol can be effective at a longer distance.
“It doesn’t look to be a problem for him,” he said. “You never know until you see him get that extra eighth of a mile.
“With his style, it makes it a little easier on him. He’s not a keen horse, stretching out. He’s very ratable and you can do what you want with him.”
In the Oceanside, Dandy Warhol was last of 13 on the backstretch when racing in tight. He clipped heels under jockey Tyler Baze and recovered to finish sixth behind Balnikhov.
“After all that trouble, he kind of re-rallied,” he said. “I think he could have given the winner a run for his money with a clean trip.”
Dandy Warhol is part of a projected field of eight in the Del Mar Derby that includes six stakes winners – Balnikhov, Cabo Spirit, MacKinnon, Slow Down Andy, St Anthony, and War At Sea. Barsabas, third in the Oceanside was “50-50” to start, trainer Ryan Hanson wrote in a text message Monday. Barsabas would have an important role in the race as a potential pacesetter.
Glatt won the 2017 Del Mar Derby with Sharp Samurai for Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal.
The Del Mar Derby is one of five stakes on a Saturday program led by the Grade 1 Pacific Classic, a $1 million race at 1 1/4 miles.