Lady of Fifty Looking Good for Saturday's El Camino Real Derby

by Bodog Racebook Staff | Feb 15 2012

Horse racing fans looking to catch a glimpse of the next Kentucky Derby champion may want to tune into the 31st running of the El Camino Real Derby from Golden Gate Fields on Saturday, February 18.

This Grade 3, $200,000 Derby prep race features a field of 10 highly competitive three-year-old thoroughbreds, all vying for the opportunity to make a Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs. In fact, past winners of the El Camino Real Derby have gone on to put in winning performances at the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.

And the one to watch in this one might be the horse chosen to pair up with jockey Russell Baze. Baze has got quite the résumé at El Camino, winning three straight Derby's, six of the last seven and eight in total.

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El Camino Real Derby a springboard for success?

Since its first running back in 1982, the El Camino has produced a winner of a Triple Crown jewel five times.

From 1984 to 1986, the Preakness Stakes winner raced in the El Camino. Gate Dancer placed second in 1984 and went on to win the Preakness while Tank's Prospect (1985) and Snow Chief (1986) each won the El Camino and then the Preakness.

In 1994, Tabasco Cat won both the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes after winning the El Camino and in 1999, Charismatic emerged as a Triple Crown threat after winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness following a win at the El Camino earlier in the year.

Stacked field

At least 10 entries are expected for this year's El Camino Real Derby, which will be broadcast live on Comcast SportsNet California starting at 4:00 PM Pacific.

Sharps who bet horses will be paying a lot of attention to Russian Greek, who won the California Derby, and the filly Lady of Fifty, who won the California Oaks. Both are trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, the Hall-of-Famer who has the most wins at the El Camino (five) of any trainer.

Cahill Chrome and Senior Rain finished right behind Russian Greek at the California Derby, and will also be part of the field on Saturday.

Trainer Steve Asmussen earned last year's win with Silver Medallion and his entry this year for the 1 1/8-mile Tapeta race will be Daddy Nose Best. Last year's win is Asmussen's lone victory at the El Camino Real Derby.

All Squared Away, Handsome Mike, Irish-bred Lucky Chappy, Rockinarz Recruit, and Unveiled Heat are also expected to take part in the race.

Baze to ride Lady of Fifty

Both Hollendorfer and Baze are Northern California-based Hall of Famers and have teamed to win the El Camino three times. The fact that they're working together on Lady of Fifty this weekend is going to attract plenty of attention.

Lady of Fifty has looked good in local division races for fillies, winning the six-furlong Golden Gate Debutante at one-mile Corte Madera, as well as the 1 1/16-mile California Oaks. Both wins came in impressive fashion as Lady of Fifty led wire-to-wire.

She ran six furlongs in 1:15:40 on Sunday in her final warm-up for the race.

Baze won't be the only top jockey in the running. Julien Leparoux will ride Daddy Nose Best and Corey Nakatani will saddle Handsome Mike.

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