Espinoza misses Derby, but he’s a winner

Cobalt Blue’s defection from the Kentucky Derby turned out to be a blessing for jockey Victor Espinoza.

Rather than riding a longshot who almost certainly would have been among the also-rans at Churchill Downs on Saturday, Espinoza remained at Hollywood Park and won twice, including the $150,000 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap with 13-10 favorite Molengao.

Two months removed from a runner-up effort behind Lava Man in the Santa Anita Handicap, Molengao took charge in the final eighth of a mile on Saturday to win for the fifth time in 15 starts. At the finish, he had 4 1/4 lengths on Porto Santo, who was a nose better than Buzzards Bay.

“When you have the best horse, you just have to make your way around,” said Espinoza, whose other victory on Saturday came with Jack The Duffer, who led throughout in the fourth. “The move he made was unbelievable. I had so much horse.

“I waited a little bit longer, but then I didn’t want to wait any more, so I just let him go. He’s such a big horse. He covers a lot of ground. His stride is about two for the others’ one.”

Bred in Brazil by owner T N T Stud and trained by Paulo Lobo, the 6-year-old Royal Academy horse ran the 1 1/16 miles in the Grade II in 1:42.86 in the first prep for the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on June 30.

In that Grade I at 1 1/4 miles, Molengao could get another crack at Lava Man, who has won the race the last two years for trainer Doug O’Neill.

“I was very confident,” Lobo said. “He loves this track. He’s been improving ever since they put the [Cushion track] in. The main goal now is the Gold Cup. He’s proven that he runs well fresh.”

Buzzards Bay, the 2-1 second choice who was making his first start in nearly a year, was hindered by a slow start, but did finish 3 1/2 lengths clear of Mambo Train, the longest shot in the field at 67-1.

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Dream Runner, the 2-5 favorite, rolled to an easy win in the $200,000 Nassau Breeders’ Cup at Belmont Park.

Eibar Coa rode the 3-year-old Wild Rush filly to a 9 1/4 -length victory, her fourth in five starts for West Point Stable, Lewis Lakin and William Lawrence and trainer Rick Violette Jr. She ran the seven furlongs in the Grade II in 1:22.04.

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