Tom's Magic gets toughest test yet in Hollywood Derby

Tom’s Magic has gone from an awkward colt at the start of his career to a three-time stakes winner in 2025, developing at such a pace that will start for the first time in a Grade 1 in Saturday’s $300,000 Hollywood Derby on turf at Del Mar.

Tom’s Magic won the minor Tale of the Cat Stakes on turf at Monmouth Park in late June, finished second in the famous King’s Plate Stakes at Woodbine on Aug. 26, and won the longest race of his career in the Breeders’ Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Woodbine on Sept. 28.

The latter two races were for Ontario-breds, and a goal all year for Tom’s Magic, who is based in the United States with trainer Mike Stidham.

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“He’s really passed the test of the races that are a little easier,” Stidham said on Wednesday.

The Hollywood Derby field will be tougher. The race is led by Test Score, the winner of the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita on Oct. 25, and includes the stakes winners Salamis and Tempus Volat and the stakes-placed Friendly Confines and Maaz.

The field will not include the stakes-placed Noble Confessor, who was not shipped from trainer Todd Pletcher’s base in New York after Federal Express, the shipping company, halted horse transport for the remainder of the year, according to a Del Mar official.

The Hollywood Derby, run at 1 1/8 miles, became a focus with Tom’s Magic after the win in the Breeders’ Stakes.

“We decided he seems to like a firm turf,” Stidham said. “We thought, Let’s go out to California. We’re almost assured a good firm course and we can take a shot in the Grade 1. It’s one of the last races for straight 3-year-olds” of the year on turf.

Tom’s Magic, owned by CJ Thoroughbreds and Mo Speed Racing, has won 4 of 7 starts. After a second in his debut at Fair Grounds last November, Tom’s Magic won a maiden race in his second start at Fair Grounds last December.

“He’s been one of those horses that has steadily progressed,” Stidham said. “He was immature mentally and physically early on. He’s developed nicely over the year.

“We’re hoping that the arrow keeps pointing in the right direction.”

The Hollywood Derby is one of eight stakes from Friday through Sunday on the final days of the Del Mar autumn meeting. Los Alamitos begins a two-week meeting on Dec. 5.

Sunday’s final day at Del Mar is led by the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes, a $300,000 race for fillies and mares at a mile on turf.

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