Del Mar Derby
STEPPING UP
FIRST CAL-BRED SINCE ETHNIC DANCE IN 2013 TO WIN THE DEL MAR DERBY
BY TRACY GANTZ
P
eter Miller acknowledges that he took an unusual path with California-bred None Above the Law to win the $250,000 Del Mar Derby Presented by Caesars Sportsbook (G2T) Sept. 4.
© BENOIT PHOTOS
“I know he went from a mile on turf to seven furlongs on the dirt to a mile and an eighth on the turf to win this,” said Miller. “You won’t fnd that in any training manual—that’s not the way you do it.” Miller’s unorthodox methods coupled with None Above the Law’s amazing versatility equaled graded stakes gold in a race flled with talent. Professional handicappers before the race had difculty settling on a likely winner. Bettors backed Bob Baffert-trained Hudson Ridge, winner of the Cinema Stakes, down to 8-5 favoritism. Te Derby included the frst three fnishers from the one-mile Runhappy None Above the Law, a homebred for Kirk and Judy Robison, takes the grade 2 Del Mar Derby Oceanside Stakes and the 11⁄16-mile La Jolla Handicap (G3), the two earlier Del Mar sponded with a resounding 51⁄4-length win. set the pace. Bravo had None Above the “Tis horse just does everything well,” Law on the rail, waiting for an opening. turf stakes for 3-year-olds. None Above the Law competed in the Oceanside, fnish- said Miller. “He’s just an overachiever, and “We just saved all we could, and I ing ninth after a wide trip behind winner I just love this horse.” showed him daylight turning for home,” None Above the Law had the most expe- said Bravo. “He really got up under me.” Flashiest. Miller trains None Above the Law for rience of all the other horses in the feld. He Did he ever. When Bravo found the longtime clients J. Kirk and Judy Robison, also had the services of jockey Joe Bravo, a smallest of daylight on the rail inside of who bred the gelding and run him in the veteran journeyman in from the East Coast Hockey Dad in the stretch, None Above name of their Downstream Racing. Te to ride at Del Mar for the summer. the Law responded with bravery, coming Bravo demonstrated extreme patience through and scoring by three-quarters of Robisons, who live in El Paso, have been faring well with Cal-breds. Teir home- with None Above the Law, as they raced in a length in 1:48.97. Flashiest ran second, bred Good With People won the 2020 I’m sixth while the other two Cal-breds in the with Hockey Dad third. Smokin Stakes and was named the year’s feld, Hockey Dad and Jimmy Blue Jeans, “Peter told me this horse can do anyco-champion Cal-bred 2-year-old thing,” said Bravo. “He wins male of the year. running seven eighths on the None Above the Law prior to dirt; he wins going a mile and the Oceanside had won the Silky one-eighth on the grass.” Sullivan Stakes on Golden Gate Te Robisons bred the Fields’ Tapeta main track and the son of Karakontie out of the Alcatraz Stakes on the Golden Northern Afeet mare Legally Gate turf. He had also won on Blanca. Tey had purchased dirt at Los Alamitos and Santa the mare carrying None Above Anita, so Miller entered him in the Law at the 2017 Keeneland the $175,500 Real Good Deal November sale for $30,000 Stakes at seven furlongs on dirt at Legal tender: Owners Kirk Robison, yellow sweater, and Judy Robifrom Bluegrass Toroughbred Del Mar. None Above the Law re- son accept the trophy along with trainer Peter Miller, second right Services. 20
CALIFORNIA THOROUGHBRED ❙ October 2021 ❙ www.ctba.com
