A three-time winner of the $300,000 Hollywood Derby (G1), Chad Brown will seek to tie Hall of Famer Charlie Whittingham for the all-time record when he sends out Program Trading and Redistricting in the Saturday’s 1 1/8-mile turf affair at Del Mar.
Program Trading, winner of the Belmont Derby (G1) two back, has been installed as the 9-5 morning favorite. Runner-up to Integration in the Virginia Derby (G3) last out, the English-bred ridgling will square off against eight rivals with regular rider Flavien Prat.
Redistricting, a smart debut winner in June, rebounded from unplaced effort in the Belmont Derby to convincingly win an Oct. 28 turf allowance at Aqueduct, is listed as the 5-1 co-third choice. Joel Rosario picks up the mount on the English-bred gelding.
Grade 2 scorer Webslinger, a head second in the Saratoga Derby (G1) two back and a rallying half-length third in the Twilight Derby (G2) on the Breeders’ Cup Saturday undercard, is pegged as the 3-1 second choice. Tyler Gaffalione wil be in to ride the late runner for Mark Casse.
Other contenders include Seal Team and Silver Knott, the respective 1-2 finishers in the Twilight Derby. Santori, a neck third most recently in the Bryan Station (G3) at Keeneland, will invade for Rodolphe Brisset.
Earlier on the program, Lady de Berry heads a field of 11 two-year-old fillies in the $100,000 Jimmy Durante (G3) at a mile on turf. Brown trains the daughter of Practical Joke, an impressive maiden winner when switching to turf at Keeneland last out.
Summer (G1) third Go With Gusto, second as the favorite in the Qatar Golden Mile S. on the Breeders’ Cup Friday undercard, is a contender for Mark Casse. Phil d’Amato is responsible for last-out maiden winners Circle of Trust and Ms Brightside, and Mo Fox Givin merits respect for Leonard Powell off a third in the Qatar Golden Mile.
The $100,000 Stormy Liberal, a five-furlong turf sprint, kicks off the stakes action, and Lane Way is the one to beat off a victory in the Eddie D. (G2) in late September. Trained by Richard Mandella, the six-year-old gelding has been installed as the 9-5 favorite among eight runners with Mike Smith.
