Blackadder gets the nod in the El Camino Real Derby

 Bob Baffert took home his third El Camino Real Derby on Saturday at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday when Blackadder surged past Mackinnon in the final strides to win the 1 1/8-mile race by a neck.

The victory earned Blackadder a free paid entry into this year’s Preakness S. (G1) at Pimlico.

Breaking from post four in the field of 11 3-year-olds, Blackadder was in tight between horses and took back off the pace going into the first turn. He worked his way over to the rail, while some eight lengths from the front, as the field made its way down the backstretch. Going into the final turn, Blackadder began to inch forward to cut his deficit in half. He swung three-wide coming into the stretch and came between horses to set his sights on Mackinnon to his outside. Blackadder got the best of his rival in the final 50 yards to secure the bulk of the $102,700 purse.

Blackadder covered the distance on the synthetic surface in 1:50.34. 

“I had been looking at the races all day and everything has been speed, speed, speed and I know this horse comes off the pace,” said jockey Edwin Maldonado. “I just stuck to my game plan to stay last and wait on the fence, wait, wait, wait and I got the opening. I got through and he did it today.” 

Blackadder is owned in partnership by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, Golconda Stable, and Siena Farm. He is now 2-0-1 in four starts and has earned $108,920.