Pixelate ends drought with fast-closing win in Del Mar Derby
DEL MAR, Calif. - Pixelate was sent to California for Sunday’s Grade 2 Del Mar Derby to accomplish a milestone he failed to achieve earlier this year in turf stakes in Texas, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Delaware Park – win a stakes race.
Ridden by a motivated Umberto Rispoli, Pixelate rallied from a deficit of 2 1/2 lengths in the final furlong to win by a head, catching an unlucky runner-up in 12-1 Margot’s Boy. Rispoli urged Pixelate to the front in the nick of time when it seemed Margot’s Boy would record an upset and give Pixelate his sixth consecutive second- or third-place finish in a stakes this year.
Pixelate, a colt by City Zip, is owned by Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing and trained by Michael Stidham in Maryland. For Rispoli, a native of Italy who began his career in Europe before relocating from Hong Kong to California last December, the $203,000 Del Mar Derby was the first time he rode for the world-famous Godolphin Racing.
“I’ve waited 16 years to wear these colors,” he said, with his voice cracking with emotion.
Sent off favored, Pixelate ($5) ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.25, ending a five-race losing streak since the Central Park Stakes at Aqueduct last December. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 88.
Stidham and Rispoli had a strategy session in a phone call Sunday morning.
“I talked to Michael this morning, and we thought he was the best horse in the race,” Rispoli said.
“He said, ‘It’s in your hands,’ ” Rispoli said. “The horse was ready.”
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Rispoli had Pixelate in third for the first six furlongs, following 50-1 Dominant Soul who set a slow pace of 24.63 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 49.77 through a half-mile. Dominant Soul, winner of a maiden race in his eighth start on July 27, led by 1 1/2 lengths on the turn and by a length in the stretch.
Margot’s Boy took the lead from Dominant Soul in the final furlong, but could not hold off Pixelate.
“He took off,” Rispoli said.
Dominant Soul held third, beaten 1 1/4 lengths. California Kook, second in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks for fillies on Aug. 22, closed from eighth to finish fourth.
Kiss Today Goodbye finished fifth, followed by Kanderel, American Farmer, K P All Systems Go, Guitty, Heywoods Beach, and No Slo Mo.
Warren’s Showtime, a multiple stakes winner who was third in the Del Mar Oaks, was scratched on Sunday morning when she was diagnosed with a minor illness, trainer Craig Lewis said. Lewis also trains Margot’s Boy.
Pixelate, bred by Godolphin, has won 3 of 11 starts and earned $311,400. Earlier this summer, Pixelate was second in the Grade 3 Kent Stakes at Delaware Park in his graded stakes debut.