Valid Point to miss Hollywood Derby

A deep field is taking shape for the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby when the autumn turf festival commences Saturday at Del Mar, but 1 1/8-mile Derby will not include a key contender that would have been among the favorites.

New York-based Valid Point, winner of the Secretariat Stakes this summer at Arlington, did not make the trip to California, trainer Chad Brown said Tuesday morning. Although Brown will be represented in the Hollywood Derby with two legitimate contenders in Digital Age and Standard Deviation, he said Valid Point needs time off and will be freshened for a 2020 campaign.

Valid Point “was a late defection,” Brown said. “He didn’t come out of his last work 100 percent, and I’m going to have him checked out and just point to next year. I don’t think it’s anything serious, but he just wasn’t 100 percent.”

Valid Point won the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington in just the third start of his career and would have been among the favorites in the Hollywood Derby after finishing 10th with a tough trip against older in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile in October at Keeneland.

Brown has won the Hollywood Derby twice in the last three years, with Raging Bull in 2018 and Annals of Time in 2016. His 2019 runners both have a look. Digital Age was compromised by a tough trip finishing fifth last out in the Grade 2 Hill Prince; Standard Deviation finished third in the Hill Prince.

Entries for the $300,000 Hollywood Derby will be drawn Wednesday. The Hollywood Derby is the top turf stakes on the Saturday card that includes the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap for older horses at 1 1/16 miles, along with the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante for 2-year-old fillies at one mile and the Grade 3 Red Carpet for older fillies and mares at 1 3/8 miles.

In addition to Digital Age and Standard Deviation, the Derby field is expected to include Henley’s Joy, Kingly, Mo Forza, Moody Jim, Neptune’s Storm, Nolde, Originaire, Succeedandsurpass, and Uncle Bull.