Salamis edges Tom’s Magic in Hollywood Derby
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DEL MAR, Calif. - A wide rally gave Salamis an uninterrupted stretch run in Saturday’s Grade 1 Hollywood Derby, the lightly raced colt’s first start at the highest level.
For winning jockey Umberto Rispoli, there was a milestone within the victory in the $301,500 Hollywood Derby – his first Grade 1 win for the nationally prominent trainer Chad Brown.
“What a way to break my maiden for Chad Brown,” Rispoli said.
The New York-based Brown, who has now won a record five runnings of the Hollywood Derby, and Rispoli spoke on Saturday morning about race strategy, a conversation that left Rispoli confident of his chances.
“Chad said the horse was doing well,” Rispolis said. “We had a nice chat and he said the horse is ready.”
Salamis ($8.20) closed from sixth on the turn to edge Tom’s Magic by a neck. Test Score, the winner of the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita in October, raced in traffic for much of the stretch run and closed well late to finish third. Juan Hernandez rode Test Score, the 4-5 favorite who finished a neck behind Tom’s Magic.
“I had no room all the way to the end,” Hernandez said. “By the time it was open, it was too late.”
Salamis ran 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:50.74 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 85.
Kokosan, a 52-1 outsider, held an early lead through a slow pace of 24.14 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 49.92 for a half-mile. Rispoli had Salamis at the back of the field for the first half of the race, and gradually moved closer on the turn.
Salamis was fifth with a furlong remaining and closed steadily to catch an unlucky Tom’s Magic, who led in the final sixteenth.
“I know Chad’s horses are capable of a nice turn of foot,” Rispoli said.
Tom’s Magic won the Breeders’ Stakes for Ontario-breds at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Woodbine on Sept. 28. The Hollywood Derby was Tom’s Magic’s first start in a Grade 1.
Test Score was followed in the order of finish by Tempus Volat, Kokosan, Friendly Confines, Maaz and Copp. Maaz’s saddle slipped forward early in the race.
Salamis, owned and bred by Juddmonte Farms, has won 3 of 7 starts and earned $353,363. By Speightstown, Salamis is out of Antonoe, the winner of the Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park in 2017.
Antonoe is the dam of Segesta, a filly by Ghostzapper, who starts for Brown and Juddmonte in Sunday’s Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf at Del Mar.
Salamis was part of a big day at Del Mar for Brown. Earlier on the program, Just Aloof won the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes for 2-year-old fillies for the stable. Brown, 46, has won two stakes on a program at Del Mar four times in his career.
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