CALIFORNIA CHROME FACES FILLY LEXIE LOU

Eleven years ago, Del Mar staged a match race between jockeys Julie Krone and Patrick Valenzuela and called it “Battle of the Sexes.” A redux in 2011 was nicknamed “Battle of the Exes” and Chantal Sutherland and Mike Smith, who were formerly engaged.

On Saturday, the seaside track could have an equine version of those races when California Chrome, a 3-year-old champion colt, lines up against Lexie Lou, a 3-year-old champion filly, in the Grade I, $300,000 Hollywood Derby.

Adding more intrigue to the race is that California Chrome won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and Lexie Lou beat a field of 3-year-old colts to win the Queen’s Plate, Canada’s version of the Kentucky Derby. This won’t be her first dance with males.

Del Mar racing secretary David Jerkens said he’s hoping for a couple more Hollywood Derby entries, but as of Monday morning, he could count only five horses that definitely will be entered Wednesday in the race at 1 1/8 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. The list, Jerkens said, includes trainer Art Sherman’s California Chrome, Mark Casse’s Lexi Lou, Patrick Gallagher’s Flamboyant, Kristin Mulhall’s Sawyer’s Hill and John Sadler’s Talco.

Long On Value, trained by Bill Mott, and Awesome Return, trained by Mike Puype, are possible starters, Jerkens said.

Awesome Return has won three races in seven starts this year, including the Let It Ride Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 8 at one mile on the turf course. He finished third in an $80,000 allowance race on July 19 at Del Mar.

Long On Value has won his last two races, including the Grade II, $200,000 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita on Oct. 31.

Of the possible challengers to California Chrome, Lexie Lou is the most accomplished and intriguing. The 3-year-old daughter of Sligo Bay has won four of seven starts this year, including the Queen’s Plate at Woodbine. Casse, a six-time trainer of the year in Canada, won the prestigious race for the first time. Casse had said California Chrome’s entry in the Hollywood Derby wouldn’t stop him from sending his filly to Del Mar.

“I got to tell you, I think our filly is pretty tough,” Casse said. “She hasn’t beaten California Chrome, but she has beaten the boys before. Actually, I think it’s kind of intriguing.”

Casse added that he thinks his filly has an edge going in because he knows she can run on the turf. California Chrome has never raced on a turf course before.

Lexie Lou’s most recent win came on the turf, the one-mile, Grade III Autumn Miss Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 25. She also won on the Woodbine turf course in the Wonder Where Stakes at 1¼ miles on Aug. 10. But she finished 10th and last on a Woodbine turf course listed as “good” in the Grade II Canadian Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on Sept. 14.

Chrome ‘on schedule’

Sherman said Monday morning that California Chrome came away from his half-mile breeze on the turf course in good shape and that “everything is on schedule” for the colt to run in the Hollywood Derby. The colt walked 40 minutes Monday, but will return to the track Tuesday for morning jogs.

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