Gabriel Charles gets jump on Gervinho in first Del Mar Derby division

Gabriel Charles has developed into a fine turf performer with the removal of blinkers and the addition of Mike Smith (Benoit Photos)

In a tale of two trips, Sam Britt and Michael House’s Gabriel Charles swept
to the fore as Gervinho had to wait and alter course, and that was the key to
victory in Sunday’s first division of the Grade 2, $251,250

Del Mar Derby.

The pair were coming off big efforts in different divisions of the July 17
Oceanside. Gervinho got up in time in the first division, propelling him into
3-1 morning-line favoritism here. Gabriel Charles was a fast-finishing second to
Rising Legend in the second division, where he just missed by a head in his
belated sophomore debut. Although Gabriel Charles was listed at 7-2 on the
morning line, the Jeff Mullins trainee was bet down to 9-5 favoritism, and the
market got it right.

With Hall of Famer Mike Smith back aboard, Gabriel Charles was nestled near
the rear of the field in the early stages, duplicating the patient tactics that
had clearly agreed with him last time. Up front, Redwood Kitten established
splits of :23 4/5, :48 1/5 and 1:12 1/5. Chief Havoc stalked in second, covering
up the rail-skimming Gervinho, who was racing in the front runner’s slipstream.

Smith gave Gabriel Charles his cue approaching the far turn, and the Street
Hero colt accelerated. Splitting rivals rounding the bend, Gabriel Charles
rolled to the outside entering the stretch and quickly overwhelmed Redwood
Kitten and Chief Havoc.

Gervinho (left) had to settle for second after altering course in midstretch (Benoit Photos)

Bejarano was pleased with Gervinho, but regretful that he couldn’t get out
sooner.

“No real excuses — he ran well,” Bejarano said. “I just wish I would have
gotten first jump. The winner did. But the No. 9 horse (Redwood Kitten) got in
my way and I had to wait. But he ran well.”

Redwood Kitten reported home another head back in third, and Procurement
closed from last to garner fourth. Next came Outside Nashville; Pure Loyalty;
Chief Havoc; Say Ow; Rising Legend, whose saddle slipped; and the eased Si Sage.
Tom’s Tribute and Layton Register, the also-eligibles, stayed in the barn.
Layton Register is entered in Monday’s 11TH race.

Gabriel Charles paid $5.80 to win for his first graded score, and his resume
now reads 7-3-2-0, $289,800. The bay colt made a splash at Del Mar last summer
by capturing his debut on Polytrack, edging Den’s Legacy in a photo. Gabriel
Charles didn’t build on that promising beginning when sixth in the Del Mar
Futurity and a remote eighth in the FrontRunner at Santa Anita.

But a surface switch worked wonders for Gabriel Charles next time out in the
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Preview on Santa Anita’s downhill turf,
resulting in a 3 1/2-length romp over Den’s Legacy. Gabriel Charles was forced
back onto dirt when the December 29 Eddie Logan was rained off the turf, and he
finished a well-beaten second on the wet-fast track. He was not seen again until
the Oceanside on opening day, and showed a new dimension by coming from the
clouds in his first start with Smith, and without blinkers. The formula worked
even better here.