Brown Ships in Three for Hollywood Derby

Trainer Chad Brown will send three representatives west to Del Mar for the $300,000 Hollywood Derby (gr. IT) Dec. 3, but they'll have to deal with other invaders as well as some local 3-year-olds who have done their best running at the seaside racetrack.

The Brown-trained runners with the best résumés are Beach Patrol and Camelot Kitten, who drew the inside posts 1 and 2, respectively, in the 1 1/8-mile test.

Beach Patrol—owned in partnership by James Covello, Sheep Pond Partners, and Head of Plains Partners—is the only grade I winner in the field, with a score in the Aug. 13 Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) at Arlington International Racecourse, but has beaten his stablemate once in three tries.

ANGST: Beach Patrol Lands Grade I in Secretariat

The Lemon Drop Kid   colt outfinished Camelot Kitten for third by a head in the July 9 Belmont Derby (gr. IT), but the son of Kitten's Joy   has gotten the best of the two other photos.

Last time out, Camelot Kitten bested Beach Patrol by a head to win the Oct. 8 Hill Prince (gr. IIIT) to complete a Brown trifecta, with fellow Hollywood Derby entrant Annals of Time in third. Their first meeting came in May, when another head separated them in Camelot Kitten's American Turf (gr. IIT) victory.

MITCHELL: Hill Prince Trifecta for Trainer Brown

Last year's Pilgrim Stakes (gr. IIIT) winner Isotherm, along with allowance victors Hayabusa One and Revved Up round out the East Coast invaders, but Abbondanza Racing and Nathan McCauley's Free Rose ruled the Del Mar turf over the summer.

The Munnings   gelding trained by Richard Baltas first upset the La Jolla Handicap (gr. IIIT) at odds of 28-1 in August, then came back to win the Del Mar Derby (gr. IIT) at 11-1 in September. Last time out, off a two-month layoff, he was under pressure on the lead throughout the Twilight Derby (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita Park and dug in gamely to lose by a half-length to fellow Hollywood Derby entrant and closer Frank Conversation, who benefitted from a quick pace.

HAMMONDS: Frank Conversation Lights Up Twilight Derby

"He lays it down every time," Baltas said of Free Rose. "I didn't train him really hard into (the Twilight Derby), so maybe he'll be a little more fit. I planned it that way, because he had three hard races at Del Mar. Considering he never really got a breather (in the Twilight Derby), I thought he ran great."

Another Hollywood Derby contestant who has thrived on the Del Mar grass is Ruis Racing's Defiantly, a son of Exchange Rate trained by Craig Dollase. He broke his maiden on the Del Mar turf in September then overcame a troubled trip Nov. 12 to win the Let It Ride Stakes last time out.

Graded stakes-placed Blackjackcat—who finished third in the Twilight Derby—and Path of David also have wins on the Del Mar turf course, but at the allowance and maiden levels.