If you are serious about betting on horse races, you do not want to miss the El Camino Real Derby on Saturday, February 11 at Golden Gate Fields! The only Kentucky Derby points race of the Northern California racing season, the 1 ⅛-mile race over the Tapeta always features an eclectic mix of proven synthetic horses and downstate dirt horses.
In addition to a $100,000 purse and 10-4-3-2-1 Kentucky Derby points for the top five finishers, the race also awards its winner an automatic berth in the Preakness! There is an excellent tradition of El Camino Real winners succeeding at Pimlico. Rombauer swept the double in 2021. Tank’s Prospect (1985), Snow Chief (1986), and Tabasco Cat (1994) won both races as well, with Tabasco Cat winning the Belmont as well.
Who will add their name to this list in 2023? Keep reading to find out and to see the best places to bet the El Camino Real Derby online!
We cannot all make it to Golden Gate Fields for their flagship day of racing. Fortunately, online sportsbooks let you bet the El Camino Real Derby from your smartphone, tablet, or computer! Our online sportsbook reviews help you see your best options quickly and will help you make an informed decision about where to bet the race.
All of our recommended sportsbooks offer real Vegas odds, trusted deposits and cash-outs, and smooth user interfaces. Each sportsbook offers bonuses as well, like sign-up and deposit bonuses, referral benefits, and horse racing rebates. Taking a few minutes now to choose the best betting bonuses for how you like to play can mean hundreds or even thousands of dollars in cash or free bets!
These are the top recommended sites for betting the El Camino Real Derby online.
These are the likely runners for the 2023 El Camino Real Derby including their trainers:
Closer to the race, the track will release post positions, jockey assignments, and morning-line odds for the race. However, keep in mind that the morning-line is just the track’s estimate for the post-time odds for the race. It can be a useful guide, but real odds will fluctuate until post time.
Your better bet is to play horse races online at a trusted sportsbook. Not only do sportsbooks offer better bonuses, but many also offer fixed-odds betting, meaning you can lock in the odds on your horse at the time you bet and know exactly how much you will win if your horse crosses the wire first.
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|---|---|---|---|
| Gilmore | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Passarando | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Thirsty John | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Chase the Chaos | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Nullarbor | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Happy Does | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Harcyn | TBA | TBA | TBA |
With your betting account set up, it is time to meet the contenders for the 2023 El Camino Real Derby:
Passarando should be right at home returning to his preferred synthetic surface after finishing third in the Cal Cup Derby on dirt last out. His pace versatility should allow him to find the right place behind a likely-lively pace. And, being by 2014 El Camino Real winner Tamarando out of a Lucky Pulpit mare, the nine furlongs should suit him nicely.
Trainer Bob Baffert has won two of the last three editions of the El Camino Real and is expected to send two runners this year. Gilmore is the significantly-better of them. He woke up second-out when stretched to two turns for the first time, overcame early trouble, and won from off the pace. The other Baffert, Nullarbor, has a lot to prove: he is a speed horse, he was well beaten at two turns, and he needed to drop for a tag to graduate.
Take a stand against Thirsty John. He will likely take money since Peter Miller is a well-known Southern California trainer. But, he is yet another speed horse in a speed-laden field and his pedigree skews more dirt than anything.
It seems absurd that Chase the Chaos went off at 65-1 in the Gold Rush, especially after running a credible third the Golden Nugget, the local prep. But the midpack type ran a good second to Passarando in the Gold Rush and followed that up with a blowout allowance win. He is in the sparkling form right now, and Uncle Mo on the bottom gives him a shot to get nine furlongs.
Happy Does has tables to turn on a few of these, as he was only fourth in the Gold Rush and a well-beaten second to Chase the Chaos in that December 30 allowance. But, he returned to win a one-mile allowance at Golden Gate on January 21, holding fellow El Camino Real probables Mother’s Prayer and Sea Dog at bay. His versatile off-pace style should pay dividends, too.
Though Harcyn looks like a speed horse so far, he did break his maiden while taking pace pressure. He is undefeated in two starts, so we do not know how good he is yet. And, though he has yet to try two turns, being by Goldencents out of a Street Cry half to Giacomo and Tiago means he has an excellent chance to get nine furlongs.
Now that you have made your betting account and gotten to know the contenders, it is time to place your bets in the El Camino Real Derby! These are the expert bets for the race:
About the Author
For a decade, Rowan Ward has been making horse race predictions and wagers in Chicago, and has been writing about horse racing for nearly just as long. Understanding the various factors that influence a race's outcome, they often find that the age-old saying "the pace makes the race" can uncover worthwhile betting opportunities. When it comes to handicapping, their favorite races are those held locally in Chicago, major stake races across the country, and two-year-old maiden races with intriguing bloodlines.
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