Warren's Showtime to take on males in Del Mar Derby
Warren’s Showtime led by a length in the stretch of the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Aug. 22 before finishing 1 1/2 lengths behind upset winner Red Lark.
Warren’s Showtime will have a final chance for a stakes win at the Del Mar summer meeting when she starts on the same course and distance in Sunday’s Grade 2 Del Mar Derby.
It could be an historic race. A filly has never won the Del Mar Derby, which was first run in 1945. Warren’s Showtime may not be the only filly in the field. Trainer Peter Miller said late Wednesday morning that he plans to enter the filly California Kook, who has yet to win a stakes and was second in the Del Mar Oaks.
Trainer Craig Lewis said the decision to start Warren’s Showtime was based on the absence of a standout runner among the male candidates, and a $200,000 purse.
“That’s why I’m running,” Lewis said. “In the real world, that’s money. She’s a very good filly.”
In her first start of the meeting, Warren’s Showtime was third in the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes against fillies at a mile on turf July 25.
Lewis was working Wednesday to finalize a jockey assignment. Mike Smith rode Warren’s Showtime in the Del Mar Oaks, but cannot ride at Del Mar on Sunday or Monday. Jockeys cannot return to the current summer meeting at Del Mar if they ride at another circuit because of the coronavirus outbreak. Smith is riding at Churchill Downs on Friday and Saturday.
Warren’s Showtime, a four-time stakes winner for owners Ben and Sally Warren, is one of two expected runners in the field for Lewis. Margot’s Boy, fifth in the Real Good Deal Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old sprinters on July 31, will start, Lewis said.
Both are by Clubhouse Ride, a stallion Lewis trained and still co-owns.
“That’s pretty amazing, two Cal-breds running in a race like that,” Lewis said.
The Del Mar Derby field is expected to include Pixelate, who has been second or third in five turf stakes on other circuits this year; Kiss Today Goodbye, who was third in the Shared Belief Stakes on dirt on Aug. 1; and K P All Systems Go, who was third in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap on turf Aug. 9.
Through Monday, Lewis had 997 career wins. He has one runner on Friday in Lucia’s Design in the seventh race. Reaching the milestone of 1,000 wins, possibly this weekend, is “way in the back of my mind,” he said.
“I’m more interested in doing the best I can,” Lewis said. “I think we probably should have won a few races we didn’t due to pilot error.”