Dover Dere's time is now

DEL MAR, Calif. - Dover Dere's stakes drought stretches back to Dec. 18, a span of eight races at four tracks in three states. Along the way, he has earned $205,357, but has only two seconds and four thirds to show for his efforts.

The losing streak can end in Saturday's $100,000 El Cajon Stakes at Del Mar. The competition in the El Cajon is weaker than it was in Dover Dere's recent races, so the colt is expected to deliver a big performance.

Trained by Doug O'Neill, Dover Dere was second in the Grade 2 Swaps Breeders' Cup Stakes at Hollywood Park on July 9 and fifth in the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park on Aug. 14 in his two most recent starts.

"Hopefully, he can get it done," O'Neill said. "He came back from the West Virginia Derby in good shape. He got the lead, but everything that day was rallying in lane 12, so it seemed."

has career earnings of $293,975, the highest of the 11 entrants in the El Cajon, which is run over 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds. The field will have a safety limit of 10 runners. Chummin is on the also-eligible list.

Dover Dere's last win came in the Gold Rush Stakes over a mile at Golden Gate Fields last December.

figure to threaten Dover Dere.

Iced Out, also trained by O'Neill, was second in the Grade 2 San Rafael Stakes last January at Santa Anita. Iced Out ended a six-month break with a fourth in an allowance race over a mile on turf on Aug. 11.

Boggy Creek is making his second start of the year. Trained by Gary Mandella, Boggy Creek won the Sam Houston Texan Juvenile Stakes last November. He finished sixth in the Grade 2 La Jolla Handicap on turf in his first start of the year on Aug. 13.

There will be ample speed in the El Cajon. Scottsbluff, second to Thor's Echo in the Real Good Deal Stakes over seven furlongs on Aug. 12, is a front-runner. Trained by Kevin Lewis, Scottsbluff will be trying for his first stakes win.