Rested Imperialism and Borrego in Super Derby

A long list of Super Derby winners from California could grow today when Imperialism and Borrego, the pre-race favorites, run in the $500,000 race at Louisiana Downs.

Since the Super Derby was first run in 1980, 10 California-trained horses have won, the most recent Ten Most Wanted last year and Tiznow in 2000. Imperialism, though unraced since his fifth-place finish in the Preakness on May 15, is the 8-5 favorite, followed by Borrego at 5-2. Borrego, seventh in the Preakness, returned at Del Mar, where he finished second in the El Cajon Stakes three weeks ago.

Imperialism will be ridden by Kent Desormeaux, a Louisiana native who won the Super Derby in 1994 with Soul Of The Matter. Trainer Kristin Mulhall’s gray colt finished third, six lengths behind Smarty Jones, in the Kentucky Derby. His last victory was in the San Rafael at Santa Anita in March.

Borrego, who’ll be ridden by Tyler Baze for trainer Beau Greely, is winless this year, with four seconds in six starts. Among his runner-up finishes was a good effort against Smarty Jones in the Arkansas Derby, but then Borrego finished 10th in the Kentucky Derby.

The rest of the nine-horse Super Derby field is filled with horses who didn’t run in the Triple Crown races. At 6-1 are Cryptograph, winner of an ungraded raced at Arlington Park in his last start, and Britt’s Jules, a Louisiana Downs-based gelding who is expected to be one of the early pace-setters.

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Blairs Roarin Star’s victory in Friday’s sixth race at Fairplex Park was trainer Doug O’Neill’s 14th of the meet, breaking the Los Angeles County Fair record set by Mel Stute in 1986.

Martin Pedroza, with a chance to break the record for most wins by a jockey at the fair, rode three winners, including Tale Of A Dream, who won the $100,000 Las Madrinas Handicap at 7-2.

Tale Of A Dream, trained by Jeff Mullins, had lost 10 consecutive races in 2003-04. The Las Madrinas was the 4-year-old filly’s third victory in 16 starts.

With today and Sunday left, Pedroza hiked his win total to 44, four short of the 48 that David Flores rang up in 1991. Pedroza will be aboard Semi Lost, the probable favorite, for the first time in today’s $100,000 Pomona Derby.

Semi Loss, trained by Mullins, is entering the race off two seconds and a sixth in three grass stakes at Del Mar.

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Adoration won’t get a chance to win the Breeders’ Cup Distaff for a second time. The 5-year-old mare, owned by John and Jerry Amerman and trained by David Hofmans, was at Hollywood Park, preparing for the Distaff at Lone Star Park on Oct. 30, when she suffered a career-ending ankle injury this week.

Adoration had eights wins, three seconds and one third in 20 starts and earned $2 million. She went off at 40-1 when she won last year’s Distaff at Santa Anita.

This year, Adoration won three stakes, including the Grade I Santa Margarita Handicap at Santa Anita and the Arlington Matron Handicap, which was her final race.

Also recently retired was Olmodavor, who had been a possibility for the Goodwood Handicap at Santa Anita on Oct. 2. Olmodavor, a 5-year-old who was trained by Richard Mandella, had five wins and five seconds in 15 starts and earned $706,450.