Paved makes El Camino Real Derby history

Favored Paved ($6.20) made history Saturday at Golden Gate Fields when she became the first filly to win the El Camino Real Derby.

The lone member of the field of nine 3-year-olds to have run 1 1/8 miles before – an easy 5 1/2-length victory on the turf in a Jan. 6 maiden race – she stalked Calexman early while running in tandem with second choice Choo Choo alternating between third and fourth down the backstretch.

Mugaritz, who sat second early, went past Calexman on the second turn and was the leader as the field of nine turned for home, but Paved had no problem racing past him as she cruised to victory.

Mugaritz put his head in front at the quarter pole and was one-half length in front at the eighth pole.

Paved, who saved ground from the rail, was second and running better than the lead as she shifted out to the two path. She responded nicely to jockey Drayden Van Dyke’s urging and looked a winner all the way down the lane.

“She’s just a Cadillac,” said Van Dyke, who got a perfect trip. “She is very talented. She looked around a little bit toward the end. I think there is more left in there, too.”

City Plan, a Godolphin colt who won the Gold Rush in his debut here in December, cut into Paved’s lead but never looked a threat, finishing second, beaten by 1 1/4 lengths. Blended Citizen was third another half-length back, 2 3/4 lengths in front of Mugaritz.

Winning time for the 1 1/8-mile race was 1:50.04, the second-fastest in stakes history behind Metaboss’ winning 1:49.92 in 2015.

Trained by Michael McCarthy, who saddled 2010 El Camino winner Connemara for Todd Pletcher, the daughter of hot sire Quality Road was only the fourth filly to run in El Camino following Cara Rafaela (fourth, 1996), Wildwood Flower (fifth, 2004) and Lady of Fifty (sixth, 2012).

“I thought she ran super today,” McCarthy said. “She got a good position and when Drayden asked her, she responded nicely.”

Paved was the 2-1 second choice on the morning line, but wound up the betting favorite over fifth-place Choo Choo, who went off at 2.20-1 compared to her 2.10-1.

Before the race, McCarthy said he was entering the $320,000 purchase by Ciaglia Racing and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners because of the timing leading up to the Grade 3 Providencia at Santa Anita in April.

The victory was worth $60,000 as Paved, who has two wins and two thirds in four starts, has now earned $104,640.