An Upset in El Camino Real Derby : Double Quick Goes Wire to Wire to Beat Rob An Plunder

Taking the lead at the start, Double Quick fought off a determined bid by favored Rob An Plunder on the far turn and then drew away in the stretch to score a 3/4-length victory in the $300,000 El Camino Real Derby on Sunday at Bay Meadows.

At 1 1/16 miles on the main track, the Grade III local Derby is the West’s first major stepping stone toward the upcoming triple crown events, to which Double Quick will be nominated.

Jockey Alex Solis, carrying 115 pounds, sent Double Quick to the front at the start and then fought off several challenges from Rob An Plunder. sHawkster finished third in the field of 6 3-year-olds, just a head short of catching Rob An Plunder for second.

Rob An Plunder, who was seeking his seventh straight stakes victory, has never been worse than second in his 10 lifetime starts.

After the race, Solis said his mount was “well in hand”, while setting the early pace and “finished strongly when I let him go.”

Trainer Mel Stute had told Solis to take the lead, if nobody else wanted it, and the slow pace dictated him going to the front.

Time for the race was 1:43 3-5 over a track labeled good and Double Quick paid $18.80, $6.40 and $3.60, while combining with Rob An Plunder for a $63.20 return on a $2 exacta. Rob An Plunder returned $3.60 and $3.00, while Hawkster paid $2.60 to show.

Double Quick was winning his third race and second stakes, while being in the money in 7 of his 8 starts.