Another Contender Emerges
Before the El Camino Real on Sunday, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer was modest about the prospect of his colt, Cause to Believe, running in the Kentucky Derby. “I’m pleased they think that much of him to put him in there,” Hollendorfer said of the [Daily Racing Form list of early Derby contenders]. “But I don’t have a certain path for him, because my owner isn’t real serious about the Derby trail.” But then Cause to Believe won the El Camino Real with a late run, finishing three-quarters of a length ahead of pace-setting Objective. “I’ve had confidence in this horse all along,” said Hollendorfer after the race. “We have a lot of options with this horse … And with luck, maybe we can get into the [Kentucky] Derby.” Northern California horses swept the first three places; Bold Chieftain was third.
A.P. Warrior, a $1.3 million yearling purchase and the heavy favorite in the El Camino Real, finished fourth, eight and three-quarters lengths behind Cause to Believe and only a head in front of fifth-place finisher Wanna Runner. “That was very disappointing,” said jockey Alex Solis. “He didn’t show up today. I was laying in good position, and we had some pace to run at. I got him outside at the five-sixteenths, and he didn’t fire.”
Both A.P. Warrior and Wanna Runner have been competitive against Brother Derek and Stevie Wonderboy in previous starts, which makes me wonder — have both tailed off in their development after showing flashes of talent as two-year-olds? Or is the northern contingent just that much better?
Steve Haskin is done wondering about A.P. Warrior: “Whatever the case with A.P. Warrior, he has not been a happy horse and has thrown in too many clunkers to be considered a top Derby candidate any longer.” But he’s high on Cause to Believe: “He’s all heart and is as consistent as they come.”
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Trainer Steve Asmussen’s top Derby prospect, Private Vow, worked this morning for the first time in several weeks, going four furlongs in :51 at Palm Meadows. Several other Derby hopefuls have hit the track in the past couple of days, including Bluegrass Cat and Barbaro.
