Hot ‘Prospect’

Pam and Martin Wygod homebred Prospect Park (Tapit) looks to remain unbeaten on the grass as he takes on a number of familiar foes in the GII Del Mar Derby Sunday. Second in the GII San Felipe S. and fourth in the GI Santa Anita Derby behind Dortmund (Big Brown) in March and April, respectively, the dark bay finished second to another Bob Baffert trainee in Gimme Da Lute (Midnight Lute) in the June 7 GIII Affirmed S. and July 4 GII Los Alamitos Derby. Switched to the turf by Cliff Sise, Jr. for this venue’s GIII La Jolla H. Aug. 9, the colt unleashed an attention-grabbing turn move and poured it on by 4 1/4 lengths. Om (Munnings), Royal Albert Hall (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}) and Papacoolpapacool (Temple City) rounded out the superfecta. Soul Driver (Street Boss) could pose a major threat after a brief freshening. The Jeff Mullins representative was an impressive 4 1/2-length winner of Santa Anita’s Singletary S. June 20, and closed from far back to get his nose down in front in the local Oceanside S. July 16. Royal Albert Hall and Papacoolpapacool were second and fifth there. Sheikh Mohammed homebred Crittenden (Distorted Humor) took Indiana’s PDJF S. May 30 and just missed in Arlington’s GIII American Derby at this trip July 11. He faded to fifth in the GI Secretariat S. going 10 furlongs there Aug. 15.