El Camino Real Derby attracts eight

Feb 09, 2023 James Scully/TwinSpires.com

The Road to the Kentucky Derby series stops at Golden Gate
Fields for Saturday’s $100,000 El Camino Real Derby. Contested over 1 1/8 miles
on a Tapeta track, the El Camino Real Derby offers qualifying points on a
10-4-3-2-1 basis to the top five finishers.

A convincing winner of the Gold Rush S. at
Golden Gate Fields two back, Passarando
has been installed as the 2-1 morning line favorite. The Steve Specht-trained
gelding exits a rallying third in the Jan. 7 California Cup Derby at Santa
Anita, and Frank Alvarado rides the California-bred son of Tamarando.

Runner-up in the Gold Rush, Chase the Chaos will return to stakes competition off a 7 1/2-length
romp over allowance/optional claiming rivals at Golden Gate. The
Pennsylvania-bred gelding is trending in the right direction for Ed Moger Jr.,
and Armando Ayuso retains the mount.

Harcyn will try
two turns and stakes foes after opening his racing career with a pair of
eye-catching wins on the Tapeta, dominating maiden special weight and
entry-level allowance rivals for Steve Sherman. The Kentucky-bred son of
Goldencents will show speed from the start with Billy Antongeorgi.

Gilmore is the early
4-1 third choice following a four-length maiden win at Santa Anita and Nullarbor is listed at 6-1 after
capturing a restricted optional maiden claiming event, but they won’t be
eligible to receive qualifying points as Bob Baffert trainees. Baffert is
suspended by Churchill Downs Inc.