Timing rally will be key for Balnikhov in Del Mar Derby
In the last half-mile of the $104,000 Oceanside Stakes on turf at Del Mar on July 22, Balnikhov rallied from 12th of 13 under jockey Umberto Rispoli to gain the win in the final strides.
The victory was the prologue to a more important appearance in Saturday’s Grade 2 Del Mar Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf.
Rispoli made a key move through traffic on the turn and redirected Balnikhov to the inside in early stretch to find a clear path.
Rispoli is back aboard Balnikhov in the $300,000 Del Mar Derby, hoping the Irish-bred gelding’s late rally can once again prove to be decisive.
:: DRF's Del Mar headquarters – Stakes schedule, previews, recaps, past performances, and more
“He’s the kind of horse you can’t really send him in the beginning,” Rispoli said Wednesday. “You let him do it on his own in the first part of the race. When he winds up, you go with him. He can give you a tremendous turn of foot.”
Owned by the partnership of Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables, and Old Bones Racing Stable, and trained by Phil D’Amato, Balnikhov is one of six stakes winners in a field of nine in the Del Mar Derby, the ninth race on an 11-race program that begins at 1 p.m. Pacific. The Del Mar Derby is part of the 20-cent Rainbow pick six that has a mandatory payout.
The Del Mar Derby drew a fascinating group, including Mackinnon, a two-time stakes winner who was third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last November, but was only fourth in the Oceanside at a mile as the even-money favorite in his first start since February.
“We need to make a major move up,” trainer Doug O’Neill said. “I’m optimistic that we’ll see that.
“I do like the mile and an eighth more than the mile. He came back in good spirits. He’s eating well and training with good energy.”
O’Neill also starts Slow Down Andy, winner of two graded stakes on dirt since December who could play a vital role as a front-runner along with Barsabas, who was third in the Oceanside.
The Grade 3 stakes winners Cabo Spirit (La Jolla Handicap on Aug. 13 at Del Mar) and War At Sea (Cinema Stakes at Santa Anita in June) will be closing from off the pace, as will Dandy Warhol, who was a troubled sixth in the Oceanside in his third start and stakes debut.
St Anthony, winner of the Robert Dupret Derby at 1 1/16 miles on turf on Aug. 13 at Santa Rosa, and the maiden Spycatcher, supplemented to the field for $3,000 on Wednesday, are the other runners.
War At Sea was an intended runner in the La Jolla Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on turf, but missed the race after he was diagnosed with a bruised foot following a stumble during a turf workout on July 31.
Trained by Ron Ellis, War At Sea recovered rapidly and has had four workouts since he returned to full training, including a half-mile in 48.60 seconds on Tuesday under jockey Mike Smith.
“He seems like he’s normal self,” Ellis said.
Ellis said his main concern is the gap between starts.
“It’s not ideal coming in off of three months going a mile and an eighth in such a big-time race,” he said. “I feel really good about him. I feel he’s fit enough. It was unfortunate he did that little stumble.”
Rispoli was aboard Dandy Warhol when the gelding closed from last of nine to win a one-mile allowance race on turf Aug. 13. Flavien Prat, former leading rider in Southern California and now based in New York, has the mount for the first time on Dandy Warhol, who is trained by Mark Glatt.
“I liked that horse last time,” Rispoli said. “He is the horse to beat.”
Prat and Rispoli have been friendly rivals on the track since Rispoli arrived in the United States from Hong Kong in late 2019. There is a possibility they could be riding in close proximity to each other in the final furlong of the Del Mar Derby.
They may not be alone. Mackinnon, Cabo Spirit, and War At Sea also appear poised to have a say in the outcome of the track’s leading summertime race for 3-year-olds.