For Immediate Release
Contact: Jim Miller (708) 780-3700
Overflow Field for Hawthorne Derby
STICKNEY, IL – As the summer thoroughbred meet winds down at Hawthorne Race Course, the Hawthorne Derby has returned to its early fall slot. To be run at 1 1/8 miles on the Hawthorne turf course, the 54th running of the Hawthorne Derby will go as race seven on the Sunday card and drew an overflow field of 14.
Live Oak Plantation’s Crystal Quest is the 3-1 morning line favorite in the Hawthorne Derby for trainer Michael Trombetta. Crystal Quest opened his 2024 season with a maiden score on the Gulfstream turf and immediately followed with a synthetic win against a tough allowance field. He rose to stakes company for his third start of the year, winning again in the Sophomore Turf Stakes at Tampa on March 24. A shift North for the summer produced second-place performances in the John W. Murphy Stakes at Pimlico in May as well as the Boston Stakes at Colonial in July. He followed that Colonial race with a late closing fifth-place run in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga on August 2. Pablo Morales comes in to ride Crystal Quest on Sunday.
Trainer Tom Amoss sends in a pair for the Hawthorne Derby led by Pocket Change Racehorses Rock’n A Halo. After winning on the grass on debut at Fair Grounds in February, Rock’n A Halo was a good third in the mud in the Black Gold in New Orleans on March 2. Moving to Churchill for the summer, Rock’n A Halo closed with a massive rally to defeat tough allowance company on the Churchill turf on May 11. He followed that race with another late closing fourth in the Audubon over the Churchill turf before his most recent start in the Grade 2 Secretariat Stakes at Colonial on August 11. Emmanuel Esquivel returns to Hawthorne to ride Rock’n A Halo. Amoss also sends out Higgins Boat for Ensemble Racing II as that runner draws the rail with Joe Rocco, Jr. in the saddle.
Trainer Neil Drysdale sends horses to Hawthorne for consecutive weeks as T’Challa makes his North American debut on Sunday. After finishing a fine second on debut at Southwell on April 28, T’Challa was victorious in his third career start, a win at one mile on the turf at Royal Windsor on June 10. He showed fine early speed in a game victory at Newbury on August 17 before coming back with a near miss against Handicap company at Doncaster in his most recent start. Martin Garcia is in to ride the 5-1 third choice in the morning line.
Local hopes are led by Baxley as the 6-1 fourth choice draws the outside in the field of 12 on Sunday for owner Carolyn Wilson and trainer Larry Rivelli. Making his first career start on turf, Baxley has been sharp to open his career. He broke his maiden at first asking with a front-end winning score at Hawthorne last September and made one more start at Keeneland before wrapping up his two-year-old campaign. He returned to the races on June 22, running second in the mud at Canterbury while sprinting. Following that start came three consecutive victories, at Thistledown in July, Hawthorne in August, and most recently around two turns at Prairie Meadows on September 2. David Cohen rode Baxley in his last two victories and rides once again on Sunday.
Trainer Ty Garrett also will saddle in a pair for the Hawthorne Derby as the talented Alotaluck heads his duo. Never worse than second in five career starts, Alotaluck broke his maiden in his first start at Zia on December 23. Starting his three-year-old season at Sunland, Alotaluck posted back-to-back runner-up efforts in the Riley Allison Derby and the Grade 3 Sunland Park Derby, running second to Santa Anita Derby winner Stronghold in the later of those starts. His next start was a win in the Mine That Bird Derby on April 7 before getting a rest. Returning off the five-month break, Alotaluck didn’t miss a beat, defeating allowance runners at Canterbury on September 19 in a race that was taken off the turf. Luis Fuentes rode that day and rides again on Sunday. Garrett will also send out Tour Queen with Eduardo Gallardo aboard.
The full field for the $150,000 Hawthorne Derby:
PP Horse Trainer Jockey M/L
1 Higgins Boat T. Amoss J. Rocco, Jr. 20-1
2 Tour Queen T. Garrett E. Gallardo 12-1
3 Rock’n A Halo T. Amoss E. Esquivel 9-2
4 Hawks Creek A. Hernandez A. Santos 12-1
5 Ak Sar Ben Derby J. Ortiz A. Concepcion 20-1
6 T’Challa N. Drysdale M. Garcia 5-1
7 Tough Little Nut C. Block O. Mojica 10-1
8 Telescopic V. Oliver G. Ashton 20-1
9 Oscar Season B. Walsh J. Loveberry 30-1
10 Alotaluck T. Garrett L. Fuentes 10-1
11 Crystal Quest M. Trombetta P. Morales 3-1
12 Baxley L. Rivelli D. Cohen 6-1
Ae13 Realignment C. Block D. Cohen 15-1
Ae14 Machiva G. Dorochenko A. Bendezu 50-1
Hawthorne Race Course, Chicago’s Hometown Track, races three live meets in 2024. The winter harness season concluded on February 12. Spring/Summer thoroughbreds begin March 23 with live racing through October 13. Harness racing returns October 19 and races through the end of the year. Hawthorne is open daily for full-card simulcasting as well as for sports wagering in the Fanatics Sportsbook. For any information about Hawthorne Race Course visit our website www.HawthorneRaceCourse.com.