Proletariat made the most of a familiar front-running formula at Del Mar on Sunday, going straight to the lead and staying there to win the Grade II Del Mar Derby by a length and a quarter. Ridden by Kyle Frey for trainer Jeff Mullins, the three-year-old covered nine furlongs on turf in 1:47.66.
Del Mar Derby results highlighted another confident performance from Proletariat.
The victory completed a notable double for the three-year-old, who had already dominated the one-mile Oceanside Stakes on the opening day of the Del Mar summer meeting. That earlier success came by five and three-quarters lengths, also with Frey aboard.
This time the task was more demanding, with the Derby contested over nine furlongs, but Proletariat again dictated matters from the outset. Frey sent the runner forward immediately and the race developed around that advantage, with the leader maintaining enough in reserve to keep the field at bay through the closing stages.
Bust Out finished second, a length ahead of Jordi Bear in third. Unrivaled Time completed the leading four. The official Del Mar replay confirms the order of the first three finishers.
The Grade II contest carried a purse of $300,000, with $180,000 going to the winner. Proletariat’s victory pushed career earnings to $389,400.
The result also underlined the progress made by Proletariat since the start of the year. The son of Raging Bull had one win and three third-place finishes as a juvenile, but has now won both starts as a three-year-old. Before the Oceanside, Proletariat had also won a six-furlong allowance race at Santa Anita.
Much of the improvement has centred on learning to settle. Frey has worked with the horse in the mornings to help conserve energy early in races, allowing the runner to finish with greater efficiency. That adjustment has now been rewarded with successive stakes victories over a mile and nine furlongs.
For Mullins and the connections, the Derby success gives Proletariat an important new dimension. What began as a horse regarded more as a sprinter has developed into a two-time stakes winner capable of controlling races over longer distances.
The Del Mar Derby was the seventh race on Sunday’s card at Del Mar.
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