Proletariat stretches out again in Del Mar Derby
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Any question of how Proletariat would handle his first one-mile race as a 3-year-old was emphatically answered when he led throughout the Oceanside Handicap at Del Mar on July 17.
Proletariat won by 5 3/4 lengths, by far the best performance of his six-race career. Now, the win has led to a similar question about how he will handle a longer distance in Sunday’s Grade 2 Del Mar Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf.
There are reasons for owners Ruben Islas and Michele Arthur, trainer Jeff Mullins, and jockey Kyle Frey to be optimistic. Proletariat, gelded last fall, is unbeaten in two 2026 starts. In his first start this year in May, Proletariat closed from third to win a six-furlong allowance race on turf at Santa Anita.
“He’s done more than we thought he’d do,” Mullins said.
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In the $300,000 Del Mar Derby, Proletariat starts from the inside post in a field of nine. He is one of five 2026 stakes winners in the field, along with Bust Out (Cinema Stakes), Pavlovian (Sunland Park Derby), Secured Freedom (Affirmed Stakes), and Unrivaled Time (Snow Chief Stakes).
The other entrants are Melismatic and Tribalism, who were first and second in an allowance race for 3-year-olds on turf on July 19, and Jordi Bear and Charlie’s Curlin, who were sixth and seventh in the Oceanside Handicap after encountering trouble on the turn.
Pavlovian, who was last of 18 in the Kentucky Derby in May, and Tribalism, who has had only three starts, are capable of setting the pace.
Frey, who has ridden Proletariat throughout his career, expressed confidence on Friday that he can race in a relaxed position whether he’s in front or stalking.
“Are we settled where we are?” Frey said. “It s a matter of getting him to shut down. Last time, he was doing it so easily. I’m so focused on the way he does it. I’m fine sitting back. I don’t think I’m too concerned about finding a position.”
In the Oceanside Handicap, Proletariat led by as many as three lengths on the backstretch and by 4 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining.
“I knew the potential was there,” Frey said. “It was a matter of the pieces falling into place.”
If the pace is rapid, Melismatic and Secured Freedom will benefit.
Secured Freedom, trained by Tim Yakteen, started on turf for the first time in the Oceanside Handicap after winning the Affirmed Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on dirt at Santa Anita on June 15. Yakteen respects Proletariat.
“The winner was freaky that day,” he said of the Oceanside. “Proletariat is a speed horse and everyone knows where he will be.”
As for Secured Freedom, Yakteen hopes the colt can progress in his second start on turf and be handy for jockey Ramon Vazquez.
“He’s tactical,” Yakteen said of Secured Freedom.
Melismatic is making his stakes debut in the Del Mar Derby after consecutive wins in a maiden race and the July 19 allowance. Trained by Phil D’Amato, Melismatic finished a half-length in front of Tribalism on July 19, closing from fourth of seven.
D’Amato, who has won two of the last three runnings of the Del Mar Derby, expressed confidence in the chances of Melismatic and Jordi Bear.
“I thought it was a big effort going from breaking his maiden to the allowance,” D’Amato said of Melismatic. “He showed a new dimension when he came from off the pace and finished well. If we can get a similar trip, he’ll have a fighting chance.”
Jordi Bear will be fitted with blinkers for the first time after he closed from last of 11 to sixth in the Oceanside Handicap.
“I added the blinkers and he’s more focused,” D’Amato said. “I think he’ll have a similar style, a come-from-behind style, just not be lengths out of it. Don’t count him out.”
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