Road to the Kentucky Derby > El Camino Real Derby
El Camino Real Derby Race Facts
- Location: Golden Gate Fields, Berkeley, CA
- Inaugural Race: 1982
- Current Distance: 1 1/8 miles
- Track Type: Left-Handed Dirt (Synthetic)
- Age Qualifications: Three-year-olds
- 2021 Purse: $100,000
- 2022 Race Date: Saturday, February 19th
The El Camino Real Derby is the only Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying points race at Golden Gate Fields in California. The race offers a chance for synthetic all-weather-surface runners a chance to obtain points from the spread of 10-4-2-1.
2021 El Camino Real Derby Race Results
| POST | HORSE | JOCKEY /TRAINER | WIN / PLACE / SHOW |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Rombauer | Kyle Frey / Michael W. McCarthy | $4.40 / $2.40 / $2.20 |
| 7 | Javanica | Frank T. Alvarado / Eoin G. Harty | $3.00 / $2.80 |
| 8 | Govenor's Party | Cristobal Herrera / Daniel Franko | $15.40 |
| 4 | It's My House | William Antongeorgi III / Jamey R. Thomas | |
| 2 | Waspirant | Assael Espinoza / John A. Shirreffs | |
| 5 | Petruchio | Irving Orozco / Richard E. Mandella | |
| 3 | Tesoro | Catalino Martinez / O. J. Jauregui | |
| 6 | Play Chicken | Evin A. Roman / Doug F. O'Neill |
Exotic Payoffs:
- $2 Exacta (9-7) Paid: $4.90
- $0.50 Trifecta (9-7-8) Paid: $90.70
- $0.10 Superfecta (9-7-8-4) Paid: $135.51
Watch the 2021 El Camino Real Derby
The History of the El Camino Real Derby
The El Camino Real Derby (G2) is a 1 1/8 mile race for 3-year-olds held at Golden Gate Fields in Northern California. The $100,000 race in mid-February has been held at Golden Gate since 2009, and is part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a 10-4-2-1 points system awarded to the top-4 finishers. The El Camino Real Derby is one of the marquee staples of the Golden Gate Fields winter meet.
The El Camino Derby has been dominated by late runners that rally from off the pace. In fact, since 2009, not a single front-runner or speed horse has won the race. In addition, the race has not been kind to horses with good form on dirt racetracks. Previous success on turf, particularly at Santa Anita and/or Del Mar, has been a much better indicator of horses with a chance to thrive at Golden Gate Fields.
In the 2017 edition, Zakaroff scored the second biggest upset in the 36-year history of the El Camino Real Derby, coming from off the pace to score a one-half-length victory as a 48-1 long shot.
The jockey with the most wins is Russell Blaze, who scored victories in 1984, 1998, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2014. Six of his wins were under the guidance of trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.
Ruhlmann was clocked with the fastest time in 1988, running 1:39.40 over a distance of 1 1/8th miles. No other horse to date has been able to break the 1:40.00 ceiling.
Tank’s Prospect would win the El Camino Real Derby, and then go on to score in the Arkansas Derby and the Preakness Stakes in 1985. Incidentally, Snow Chief would do the same the following year but instead won the El Camino Real Derby on route to scoring in the Florida Derby, Santa Anita Derby and the Preakness Stakes in the 1986 campaign.
Tabasco Cat is considered the most successful winner to come out of the El Camino Real Derby, having won the 1994 renewal prior to winning the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes that same season. He may have also won the Kentucky Derby if not for a bad bump during the race.
These pathways are notable because there is a special $5,500,000 bonus awarded to those that win the El Camino Real Derby, Santa Anita Derby and the Preakness Stakes. An alternate $550,000 bonus is available for those that compete in the El Camino Derby, finish top-three in the Florida Derby or Santa Anita Derby and win the Preakness Stakes.
El Camino Real Derby Past Winners
| Year | Winner | Jockey / Trainer | Distance (Miles) / Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Rombauer | Kyle Frey / Michael W. McCarthy | 1-1/8 / 1:51.64 |
| 2020 | Azul Coast | Rafael Bejarano / Bob Baffert | 1-1/8 / 1:51.58 |
| 2019 | Anothertwistafate | Juan J. Hernandez / Blaine Wright | 1-1/8 / 1:50.38 |
| 2018 | Paved† | Drayden Van Dyke / Michael McCarthy | 1-1/8 / 1:50.04 |
| 2017 | Zakaroff | Kyle Frey / Stephen Specht | 1-1/8 / 1:51.34 |
| 2016 | Frank Conversation | Mario Gutierrez / Doug F. O'Neill | 1-1/8 / 1:50.64 |
| 2015 | Metaboss | Alex O. Solis / Jeff Bonde | 1-1/8 / 1:49.92 |
| 2014 | Tamarando | Russell Baze / Jerry Hollendorfer | 1-1/8 / 1:51.23 |
| 2013 | Dice Flavor | Jose Valdivia Jr. / Patrick Gallagher | 1-1/8 / 1:51.45 |
| 2012 | Daddy Nose Best | Julien Leparoux / Steve Asmussen | 1-1/8 / 1:50.46 |
| 2011 | Silver Medallion | Russell Baze / Steve Asmussen | 1-1/8 / 1:50.45 |
| 2010 | Connemara | Russell Baze / Todd A. Pletcher | 1-1/8 / 1:51.26 |
| 2009 | Chocolate Candy | Russell Baze / Jerry Hollendorfer | 1-1/8 / 1:50.54 |
| 2008 | Autism Awareness | Luis Contreras / Genaro Vallejo | 1-1/16 / 1:43.17 |
| 2007 | Bwana Bull | Russell Baze / Jerry Hollendorfer | 1-1/16 / 1:43.22 |
| 2006 | Cause to Believe | Russell Baze / Jerry Hollendorfer | 1-1/16 / 1:41.81 |
| 2005 | Uncle Denny | Russell Baze / Rafael Becerra | 1-1/16 / 1:42.22 |
| 2004 | Kilgowan | Chance Rollins / Lonnie Arterburn | 1-1/16 / 1:43.87 |
| 2003 | Ocean Terrace | Mike E. Smith / Robert Hess Jr. | 1-1/16 / 1:42.26 |
| 2002 | Yougottawanna | Jason Lumpkins / Jerry Hollendorfer | 1-1/16 / 1:43.48 |
| 2001 | Hoovergetthekeys | Ron Warren / Brian Koriner | 1-1/16 / 1:40.85 |
| 2000 | Remember Sheikh | Frank Alvarado / Lonnie Arterburn | 1-1/16 / 1:43.47 |
| 1999 | Cliquot | David R. Flores / John Shirreffs | 1-1/16 / 1:43.29 |
| 1998 | Event of the Year | Russell Baze / Jerry Hollendorfer | 1-1/16 / 1:40.27 |
| 1997 | Pacificbounty | Kent Desormeaux / Walter Greenman | 1-1/16 / 1:41.85 |
| 1996 | Cavonnier | Martin Pedroza / Bob Baffert | 1-1/16 / 1:43.40 |
| 1995 | Jumron | Goncalino Almeida / Gary Lewis | 1-1/16 / 1:43.73 |
| 1994 | Tabasco Cat | Pat Day / D. Wayne Lukas | 1-1/16 / 1:42.78 |
| 1993 | El Atroz | Rafael Meza / Jose Silva | 1-1/16 / 1:43.77 |
| 1992 | Casual Lies | Alan Patterson / Shelley L. Riley | 1-1/16 / 1:42.00 |
| 1991 | Sea Cadet | Tom Chapman / Ron McAnally | 1-1/16 / 1:40.60 |
| 1990 | Silver Ending | Gary Stevens / Ron McAnally | 1-1/16 / 1:43.00 |
| 1989 | Double Quick | Alex Solis / Melvin F. Stute | 1-1/16 / 1:43.60 |
| 1988 | Ruhlmann | Pat Day / Robert J. Frankel | 1-1/16 / 1:39.40 |
| 1987 | Masterful Advocate | Laffit Pincay Jr. / Joseph Manzi | 1-1/16 / 1:42.40 |
| 1986 | Snow Chief | Alex Solis / Melvin F. Stute | 1-1/16 / 1:42.60 |
| 1985 | Tank's Prospect | Jorge Velásquez / D. Wayne Lukas | 1-1/16 / 1:41.00 |
| 1984 | French Legionaire | Russell Baze / David Hofmans | 1-1/16 / 1:42.40 |
| 1983 | Knightly Rapport | Fernando Toro / Joseph Manzi | 1-1/16 / 1:44.80 |
| 1982 | Cassaleria | Darrel McHargue / Ron McAnally | 1-1/16 / 1:42.80 |