Golden Gate Fields: How to bet the El Camino Real Derby

Saturday’s $100,000 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields presents an intriguing but straightforward handicapping challenge.

Nine promising three-year-olds have been entered in the 1 1/8-mile race, which awards Road to the Kentucky Derby qualification points on a 10-4-2-1 split to the top four finishers.

The wildcard is the surface the race is on. Rather than dirt, the El Camino Real Derby takes place over a synthetic Tapeta track, which typically favors turf horses over dirt runners.

The Tapeta can make the El Camino Real Derby a difficult race to handicap, but the 2021 renewal appears straightforward. Three runners rank a cut above their rivals, and there is a strong chance they’ll sweep the exacta and trifecta.

#5 Petruchio (3-1) hasn’t missed the trifecta in five starts for trainer Richard Mandella. A pace-tracking maiden winner at a mile on turf at Del Mar, Petruchio last raced in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) on dirt, where he rallied belatedly to finish third, behind the accomplished juvenile Spielberg. The switch to Tapeta shouldn’t bother the son of two-time leading sire Into Mischief.

#7 Javanica (5-2) has already proven her worth on Tapeta, as she rallied to finish second in the seven-furlong Glorious Song S. at Woodbine. A runner-up by narrow margins in both the Jimmy Durante (G3) and Blue Norther S. on turf, Javanica is bred to stretch out over 1 1/8 miles and will pick up hot jockey Frank Alvarado for her Golden Gate debut. If she prevails, Javanica would be the second filly since 2018 to win the El Camino Real Derby.

#9 Rombauer (8-5) is the most accomplished runner in the field. He rallied to finish second in the American Pharoah (G1) and fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) on dirt. Golden Gate’s leading jockey, Kyle Frey, is named to ride, and Rombauer has trained forwardly for his 2021 debut.

Although he broke his maiden on turf, Rombauer has shown improvement since he switched to dirt and isn’t guaranteed to relish the Tapeta track at Golden Gate.

Of the trio, I prefer Javanica. A half-sister to Saratoga Oaks winner Antoinette, the Godolphin homebred boasts a strong turn of foot, coupled with a stretch-running style suited for success at Golden Gate.

We’ll bet Javanica to win and key her on top in exotics.

$15 to win on #7 Javanica
$4 exacta: 7 with 5,9 ($8)
$2 trifecta: 7 with 5,9 with 2,5,6,9 ($12)
Total: $35

Good luck!