Triple Crown prep: Chase the Chaos takes El Camino Real
The gelding Chase the Chaos sat off a fast pace, rallied down the center of the track down the stretch and flew to the lead for a 1 1/2-length victory Saturday in the $100,000 El Camino Real Derby for 3-year-olds at Golden Gate Fields.
With triumph, Chase the Chaos earned 10 points toward qualifying for Kentucky Derby 2023 and an expenses-paid berth into the Preakness on May 20 at Pimlico in Baltimore.
Early leader Nullabor was sent to the front and set quick fractions of 23.34, 47.52 and 1:12.64. Chase the Chaos, who sat well off the pace, saved ground around the far turn, tipped outside for the stretch drive and reeled in his rivals while drawing away from the competition in the final stages.
Chase the Chaos stopped the clock at 1:51.68 for the nine furlongs on the Tapeta track.
Winning jockey Armando Ayuso steered Chase the Chaos to victory for trainer Ed Moger Jr.
“You can’t feel better than this,” Ayuso said following his first El Camino Real Derby win. “He’s a horse that’s been improving every race. Today he was sharp.”
Chase the Chaos, who went off as the 4-1 third choice in the wagering, returned $10.40 to win, $4.40 to place and $2.80 to show.
The 9-5 post-time favorite Gilmore, trained by Bob Baffert, had to settle for second and returned $3.60 to place and $2.60 to show. Third-place finisher Harcyn paid $3.80 to show.
Passarando was followed in order by Nullarbor, Sea Dog, In Honor of Autism and Happy Does.
Bred in Pennsylvania by Mr. and Mrs. Dale Krapf, the winner was sired by the Australia stallion Astern and was purchased for $10,000 as a yearling at Keeneland by owners Bill Dory and Adam Ference.
Chase the Chaos ran his record to 6: 3-2-1 with career earnings of $123,000.
The top five horses Saturday were ticketed to get 10-4-3-2-1 points toward Derby qualifying. However, Gilmore’s four points and Nullarbor’s one were vacated, because their trainer Baffert is ineligible to enter horses in the Derby. The others were not among the early nominations for the Triple Crown, and it would cost $6,000 to change that before next month’s deadline.
