Hollywood Park: Dry Summer pinch-hits in derby

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – An illness will prevent Gabriel Charles from starting in Sunday’s $250,000 Hollywood Derby at Betfair Hollywood Park. Fortunately for owners Sam Britt and Michael House and trainer Jeff Mullins, they have a backup horse in the stakes winner Dry Summer.

Mullins said Friday that Gabriel Charles was found to be sick Thursday, the morning entries were taken for the Hollywood Derby.

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“He came up with a fever and a respiratory infection,” Mullins said.

Gabriel Charles won a division of the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby in September and was second in the Twilight Derby at Santa Anita on Nov. 1, which would have made him a contender for the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby. Dry Summer was fourth in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby, setting the pace to the final furlong before finishing 1 1/2 lengths behind Hollywood Derby entrant Rookie Sensation.

The Twilight Derby was Dry Summer’s third start since being gelded last spring. Mullins said Friday that he was encouraged by Dry Summer’s performance in the Twilight Derby. The Hollywood Derby is run over 1 1/4 miles on turf and will be the longest race of Dry Summer’s career.

“I think the last race showed us where we are at,” Mullins said. “He needed the first couple of races. It took him awhile to get over the castration.”