After Formidable Man won the Nov. 30 Hollywood Derby (G1T) at Del Mar, trainer Michael McCarthy tried unsuccessfully to hold back tears. In his postrace interview, McCarthy acknowledged the win, but then quickly paid tribute to his friend, trainer Ben Cecil, who died a day prior.
"I worked for him for a while before I went to work for Todd (Pletcher)," McCarthy said. "Good man, good father, good trainer. He loved life. He loved to have a little beer once in a while. He was a very good guy. Tough day."
Formidable Man also honored Cecil's mentorship of McCarthy, who was winning with a second generation. McCarthy trained City of Light , the sire of Formidable Man, now a perfect 4-for-4 at Del Mar. The 3-year-old colt also became the first to win the Hollywood Derby and Del Mar Derby (G2T) since the Hollywood Derby was moved to Del Mar in 2014. (The only others to win both races were Eternity Star in 1991 and Silver Circus in 1988 when both races were on turf, and Grantor in 1951 when both races were on dirt.)
Sent away as the 5-1 fourth choice in the 11-horse field under jockey Umberto Rispoli, Formidable Man raced in fourth along the rail in the 1 1/8-mile Hollywood Derby. Rothschild and Donegal Momentum set the early pace, with Rothschild responsible for the quarter-mile fraction of :23.77 and Donegal Momentum getting a half-mile in :47.84.
Donegal Momentum held onto the lead down the backstretch and around the final turn. Rispoli moved Formidable Man off the rail into the stretch to come to the outside of Donegal Momentum. Formidable Man took the lead approaching the sixteenth pole and scored by three-quarters of a length in 1:48.40.
King of Gosford closed late to defeat Donegal Momentum by a neck, with Stay Hot a nose back in fourth. Favored Carson's Run raced last early, went four wide on the final turn, and ended up fifth.
"I have been working him for the past three works that he had, and he was getting better and better," said Rispoli. "I knew there was quality and potential there, and he proved that to me today."
McCarthy said he skipped the Oct. 26 Twilight Derby (G2T) to have Formidable Man at his best for the Hollywood Derby.
"He always looked like he was threatening to run a big one," McCarthy said.
McCarthy trains Formidable Man for William and Suzanne Warren, who also owned City of Light.
"I'm so happy that Mr. Warren and his friends and family are here to celebrate a day like this," McCarthy said. "To have a grade 1 winner by City of Light on the turf is a special day."
McCarthy not only trained City of Light for the Warrens, he selected Formidable Man for them at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He bought the colt as agent for $375,000 from consignor Taylor Made Sales Agency.
Formidable Man broke his maiden at Del Mar in his racing debut last year. Before returning to the track to capture the Oceanside Stakes and Del Mar Derby this past summer, he started four times at Santa Anita Park and twice at Churchill Downs. Formidable Man didn't win a stakes at either track, but he ran second in the May 4 American Turf Stakes (G2T) at Churchill and took an allowance optional claimer at Santa Anita. He has made all but one of his 10 starts on the turf.
Town & Country Horse Farms bred Formidable Man in Kentucky from the Silent Name mare Fanticola. The mare competed solely in Southern California, her wins including a maiden race at Del Mar on the turf, the 2015 Royal Heroine Stakes (G2T), and the 2015 Megahertz Stakes, the latter two at Santa Anita. Formidable Man is the fourth winner from as many starters from the mare, and only graded winner.
Formidable Man, 2023 champion 2-year-old male Fierceness, Battle of Normandy, Chop Chop, and Mentee are 2024 graded stakes winners sired by City of Light. An earner of $5,662,600 on the racetrack and winner of the 2018 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), City of Light is listed to stand the 2025 season for a stud fee of $35,000 at Lane's End near Versailles, Ky.
