Pixelate Rallies to Del Mar Derby Score
Image:
Description:
Photo: Benoit Photo
Pixelate wins the Del Mar Derby at Del Mar
Godolphin homebred Pixelate rallied to victory Sept. 6 in the $203,000 Del Mar Derby (G2T), picking up his first graded score by a head for trainer Michael Stidham.
Bumped twice at the start, the 3-year-old son of City Zip recovered well under Umberto Rispoli and tracked along in third on the inside while Dominant Soul put up opening fractions of :24.63, :49.77, and 1:14.74 in the 1 1/8-mile turf event with Margot's Boy running second. Angled out on the far turn, Pixelate closed through a 1:38.38 mile and ran down the frontrunner along with Margot's Boy, who held for the place. Dominant Soul stayed on for third.
The final time was 1:50.25 on firm turf.
It was the fourth winner on the afternoon for Rispoli giving him a one-win lead—49 to 48—over his ace counterpart, Flavien Prat, who had a pair of victories on the card, including a stakes score that was his 14th of the meet, a Del Mar riding record. The battle for supremacy between these two exceptional riders at this 81st summer stand will come down to the 27th and final day of the meet Monday.
"I talked to Mike this morning, and we both agreed that we had the best horse in the race," Rispoli said. "I said I wanted to ride him up closer than normal for him; I told him this is a smaller tighter course, not like Churchill (Downs). He said, 'You ride him like you want to.' I had a great trip and he fired when he had to. I'm very happy.
"And I've waited 16 years (the length of his riding career) to wear these (Godolphin silks)."
The 3-2 favorite in an 11-horse field, Pixelate returned $5 on a $2 win ticket. He entered off a runner-up finish in the July 4 Kent Stakes (G3T) at Delaware Park, his first start in the graded ranks, and won Sunday's grade 2 in his first try at that level.
Bred in Kentucky out of the stakes-winning Street Cry mare Speckled, Pixelate improved his record to 3-5-3 from 11 starts, with earnings of $311,400. He is the second foal out of the mare, and her second winner from two starters. She has a More Than Ready 2-year-old filly named National Flower, a yearling filly by Astern, and a Hard Spun filly born this year. She was bred to Sky Mesa for 2021.