Midnight Mammoth back with own kind in Robert Dupret Derby

Out of necessity, the 3-year-old Midnight Mammoth was entered in an allowance race July 3 against older horses on dirt at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, Calif. Dismissed at 13-1 in a tough field, Midnight Mammoth finished second by a length.

“We didn’t have anywhere to run,” trainer Steve Sherman recalled Thursday. “We were training there. The horse was working decent over there. We stuck him in there. It was a great surprise.”

Midnight Mammoth’s next goal has been on his schedule for weeks – Saturday’s $75,000 Robert Dupret Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, Calif.

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Midnight Mammoth is back against his own age group and racing on a relatively new surface. Midnight Mammoth was second by a half-length in his only start on turf, an allowance race for 3-year-olds at Golden Gate Fields in April.

A winner of 2 of 11 starts, Midnight Mammoth won a maiden race in February and an allowance race May 21, both on the synthetic main track at Golden Gate Fields.

In the allowance race at Pleasanton, Midnight Mammoth raced wide and beat several stakes-caliber runners on the Northern California circuit.

Midnight Mammoth, owned by Golden Bear Racing, drew post 5 in a field of seven in the Dupret Derby.

The field includes Il Bellator, unraced since a win in the California Derby on the synthetic track at Golden Gate Fields on April 30, and St Anthony, who won the Alcatraz Stakes at a mile on turf for 3-year-olds on May 29 at Golden Gate Fields. He was eighth of 13 after a wide trip in the Oceanside Stakes on turf on July 22 at Del Mar.

St Anthony, trained by Neil Drysdale, is a closer, while Il Bellator and Midnight Mammoth are most effective from a stalking position. Sherman does not want to change tactics for Saturday’s race.

“I think this horse has to get out of the gate,” he said. “I’m hoping he can be second or third” early.

Highland Ghost, trained by O.J. Jauregui, is likely to set the pace from an inside post. Highland Ghost has been second in his last three starts, all at Golden Gate – the Silky Sullivan Stakes for statebreds at a mile on turf May 1, the Alcatraz Stakes, and in a six-furlong allowance race June 18 at Pleasanton.