El Camino Has Showcased Many a Quality Sophomore..

While the El Camino cannot match the Louisiana Derby for duration of tradition, it's winner circle has been graced by Preakness winners Tank's Prospect (1985, establishing a new Pimlico record) and Snow Chief (1986, later the 3 year old Eclipse winner), as well as the courageous Cavonnier (1996) and the excellent Event of the Year (1998). Charismatic (1999) was second here on the way to his Triple Crown bid, while standouts General Meeting (1991) and Gate Dancer (1984) also settled for place money in their Camino tries.

The field of 10 for Saturday's contest features several of the west coast's less-heralded three year olds, but several that have already captured ungraded stakes and earned black type in graded events. Brian Pitnick's Stellar Magic is 3 for 4, including a 95 Beyer-earning score in the San Mateo Mile last month at the "Ess Eff" oval. Uncle Denny, one of this year's Raffy Becerra-Stan Fulton productions, is also clicking at .750 in 4 starts with his excellent Sham 4th (beaten 1.5 lengths) the lone loss.

Kristin Mulhall's Wannawinemall caught our attention in a Santa Anita maidenbreaker three weeks ago. In his previous two starts, the son of Royal Anthem was third by a combined total of less than 2 lengths, with the good group of Go Coyote Joe, Mystos and One Smart Deputy finishing before him. Nick Hines and Jim "Mattress Mac" McIngvale (Wimbledon) send maiden Customer postward in this. The Silver Charm grey has worked brilliantly off his debut sprint second in the SA slop 23 days ago, and looks to have a bright future.

D. Wayne Lukas brings Big Top Cat north from Pasadena to make his stakes bow off a 4th place try in Golden Shine's buzz-generating ALW score on 2/16. The Overbrook Storm Cat colt wings it on the front end, and has been a bullet-firing machine gun in the mornings for the Hall of Fame conditioner. Sharp Writer (Hollendorfer) and Buzzard's Bay (Mullins) were the big figure quinella in the Golden Gate Derby in January, but the pair were both distanced in their subsequent starts in the San Mateo Mile and Risen Star respectively.

Between 3/3-3/9, Bay Meadows hosted 11 races at today's 8.5f distance, and three of those events were won on the front end (27%). Speed and pace pressing have been the best styles, and the inside posts have had the advantage.

THE 29th EL CAMINO REAL DERBY, Gr. III, $200,000, 8.5f, BM 8th

1.) WANNAWINEMALL (Mulhall/Smith) 115/12-1: Inviting price on colt that has yet to run a bad one and may be sitting on a forward move. Mike Smith didn't abandon a day's worth of SA mounts for this on a lark. Can stalk or press, and looks to be first alternative to the low priced top choices. Doubt 12-1 holds up, but still provides value.

2.) STELLAR MAGIC (Pitnick/Carr) 117/2-1: Mateo Mile winner has shown speed and stalking gears in his three win career and figures tough to bypass today. Trainer scoring at 20% clip this meet and last 12 months, while NY riding refugee Carr seems to have found a home in the Bay Area (19%). Bargain Barrett's Cal-bred gelding clearly the one to beat while receiving ideal pace set-up.

3.) STORMIN AWAY (Mullins/Steiner) 115/8-1: Hard to gauge anything from Mullins right now in light of the "situation" surrounding him, but Skip Away gelding is improving sort that has earned a check in all but one of his 8 starts. Draw a line through his mud and turf tries and note the steady figure improvement. One of just three with a win at the trip. Usable at the bottom of gimmicks.

4.) VASILIAS (Mason/Rodriguez) 115/30-1: Longshot earned diploma when last seen in 6f MSW back in September. Comic Strip gelding has drilled fast (:59.4 bullet 2/9) and long (7f and mile moves) prepping for comeback. Conditioner enjoying 30% success this meet, and is very good with the karma moves involved. May be wise to include if spreading at bottom of exotics.

5.) UNCLE DENNY (Becerra/Baze) 117/2-1: In Excess bay colt cuts back a sixteenth off game 4th in the Sham where he fell a neck and .5L short of second. Becerra telegraphed intent with crazy 1:09.3 (!) SA bullet March 3rd. Not facing Going Wild, Papi Chullo and Giacomo here, and obvious threat to take them gate to wire. Gets plenty of company though...

6.) CUSTOMER (Hines/Piermarini) 115/30-1: Silver Charm grey caught mud and rail in lone start, the solid second 2/19 at SA. Came back from that effort to bullet 6 panels 3/6 (1:12.1). Was no secret in unveiling (3-2), and may be different animal on dry surface. Would take a big fig jump to impact this, but at 30-1 is well worth the inclusion. Colt with a future.

7.) BIG TOP CAT (Lukas/Court) 115/12-1: "Going Wild Light" may be one way to describe this Storm Cat bay that struggled in pair of MSW's as juvy before scoring FTL in SA sprint 1/29. Tried front end thievery in last outing, his initial route try, but was caught by potential star Golden Shine before fading to fourth. Yet another that is working super at sunrise, he lures Jon Court away from SA for the afternoon. With Stormin, Vasilias and Wind Water, adds to potential serious pace pressure for Uncle Denny. Not convinced.

8.) WIND WATER (Koriner/Lumpkins) 115/15-1: Three time winner has failed in pricey state-bred stakes, so it's difficult to see how he holds up versus graded foes. Has not developed much since San Mateo sprint score last fall, and looks to be strictly part of Denny's pace scramble headache.

9.) SHARP WRITER (Hollendorfer/Alvarado) 115/10-1: Capote dark bay from San Fran legend took 7 tries to break maiden before getting nosed by pal to his left in entrant-abbreviated GG Derby. Bounced in Mateo Mile, and can't see how he bests ones inside today.

10.) BUZZARD'S BAY (Mullins/Guidry) 117/5-1: Did all the hard work in game wire job GG Derby win, but didn't get out in Risen Star and quit after three quarters. Put in 2 good works since, but got no help for this at the pill box with extreme post. Guidry tags along, Mullins removes goggles, and Bay drops 5#, but task is no easier here than it was in New Orleans.

SELECTIONS: Be sure to utilize the big prices underneath the top pair.

1. Stellar Magic
2. Wannawinemall
3. Customer
4. Uncle Denny

Exotic boosters:
Vasilias
Stormin Away


Gulfstream ALW includes Mon, Bellamy Road

There is a N2X ALW of note Saturday at Gulfstream that features Rick Violette's Dearest Mon, who scratched from the Fountain of Youth. Also entered is George Steinbrenner's promising Bellamy Road, now, like every other three year colt in America, in the barn of Nick Zito. The mile event is the GP 6th, and is important for Dearest Mon if he is going to try the Florida Derby or any other big April Derby prep. Bellamy Road had been sidelined since injured in the Gr. I Breeders Futurity last October while part of the Dickinson string. Before the Breeder's, where he was 7th, Bellamy Road had annexed the Gr. III Cradle at River Downs in impressive fashion.

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