Hollywood Derby 2023 Picks

By Jarrod Horak

Del Mar’s Bing Crosby Season continues on Saturday, December 2 and I have included Hollywood Derby 2023 picks below. The Grade 1 event for 3-year-olds has a $300,000 purse and the nine entrants will be traveling 1 1/8 miles on the turf course. It is the 7th race on Dec. 2. 

Hollywood Derby 2023 Picks & Final Time Ratings

Six of the nine entrants in this race exit the Grade 2 Twilight Derby including winner Seal Team, runner-up Silver Knott, and show finisher Webslinger. The other three entrants are shippers including morning line favorite Program Trading, one of two runners from the powerful turf barn of Chad Brown. Check out my top three contenders below and watch my video at the bottom of this post for extensive analysis of the Hollywood Derby. 

Webslinger landed in the trifecta in 9 of 11 starts. Program Trading beat him by a head in the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby, and this one finished fast to miss by a half-length in the Twilight Derby (G2) last time. Mark Casse’s consistent gelding can make a run in the lane. If you are considering playing a horse out of the Twilight Derby, this might be your guy. 

Redistricting was strong from off the pace in his winning turf route bow as the 2-1 favorite at Belmont Park on June 3. He raced wide from post 10 and ended up 7th of 11 in the Belmont Derby (G1) on July 8, and returned with a nice allowance turf route win as the chalk from a stalking position at Aqueduct on Oct. 28. Chad Brown’s gelding is lightly raced and should continue to develop.

Program Trading looks strong in this spot for the productive Flavien Prat and Chad Brown team. He won his first three turf routes including a game victory as my top choice in the Saratoga Derby (G1). He raced wide from the outside post and split a pair of next-out graded winners in the Virginia Derby (G3) on Sept. 9. His winning rider Prat should have early-pressing options, and I would not be surprised if he went on with it like he did in the Saratoga Derby. 

Hollywood Derby 2023 Picks

The Hollywood Derby is the twelfth race in my Horse of the Day video series at Del Mar. Through the first ten races in this series, my top choices have three wins and a trio of runner-up finishes. I will cover one race each day during the 13-day Del Mar Bing Crosby Season, and the bulk of my videos will include stakes action. Check out my Hollywood Derby 2023 picks video below.