DEL MAR, Calif. – Formidable Man has been the intimidating man at Del Mar in his brief career. The winner of the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 1, Formidable Man remained unbeaten in four starts on the Del Mar turf course with a comprehensive win in Saturday’s Grade 1 Hollywood Derby. Unlike the Del Mar Derby, which featured six local runners, the Hollywood Derby drew a field that included two highly-regarded shippers from New York in Carson’s Run and Donegal Momentum. All of them, the locals and the invaders, were left chasing Formidable Man to the wire on Saturday. Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Formidable Man ($12.60) closed from third in the final half-mile to win by three-quarters of a lengths over 5-1 King of Gosford. :: Bet with the Best! Get FREE All-Access PPs and Weekly Cashback when you wager on DRF Bets. “It was the trip I had in my mind,” Rispoli said. Formidable Man, who races for William and Suzanne Warren and trainer Michael McCarthy, ran 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:48.40 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 91. For much of the race, Rispoli had Formidable Man toward the inside in a stalking position behind Rothschild, who along with Donegal Momentum contributed to an early pace of 23.77 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.84 for a half-mile. Formidable Man was fourth early and advanced to third on the turn. In early stretch, Rispoli moved Formidable Man outside of stretch leader Donegal Momentum. Formidable Man quickly reached the front. King of Gosford closed from fifth of 11 to finish second, a neck in front of 3-1 Donegal Momentum. Despite the loss, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., praised King of Gosford, a three-time stakes winner on turf who started at 1 1/8 miles for the first time on Saturday. “I was traveling beautifully,” Ortiz said. “The winner got the jump on me. The way he ran, he’s a good horse with a good mind.” Donegal Momentum, winner of the Gio Ponti Stakes at Aqueduct on Oct. 3, was followed in the order of finish by Stay Hot, Carson’s Run, British Isles, Atitlan, Twirling Point, Cathal, Rothschild, and Heart Headed. Carson’s Run, a four-time stakes winner, was the 5-2 favorite. Rispoli, who praised the Warrens after Saturday’s race for supporting him in recent years, was aboard Formidable Man for the win in the Del Mar Derby and a victory in the Oceanside Stakes at a mile on turf in July. Rispoli said expectations were high for Saturday’s race after Formidable Man worked well on dirt at Santa Anita in recent weeks. “When you work him on the dirt, he’s not a top-class horse,” Rispoli said. “When he worked the last two times, Michael and I looked at each other and said, ‘That was good, right?’ “He’s been outstanding in his last two works.” By City of Light, Formidable Man has won 5 of 10 starts and earned $637,425. Aside from the three stakes wins this year, Formidable Man won a maiden race for 2-year-olds on turf at Del Mar in September 2023. Away from Del Mar, Formidable Man has won once in six starts, an allowance race on turf at Santa Anita in March. Formidable Man was second in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs last May. McCarthy dedicated Saturday’s win to trainer Ben Cecil, who died on Friday after a battle with cancer. McCarthy worked for Cecil as an assistant before working for Todd Pletcher as an assistant. “He was a good man, a good father, and a good trainer,” McCarthy said with emotion in his voice. “He loved life. This is a tough day.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.