Unrivaled Time Prevails In Cecil B. DeMille Stakes At Del Mar

Race overview

Unrivaled Time captured the Grade III $100,000 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes for 2-year-olds at Del Mar with a powerful late run on the turf. The colt completed the one-mile race after threading between rivals in the final furlong to overhaul favored Hey Nay Nay.

Trip and running of the race

Proton went straight to the front from the break, with Track Tiger pressing from the outside while Unrivaled Time sat in a stalking third about half a length off the early pace. Track Tiger briefly took command from Proton approaching the far turn but began to weaken entering the stretch as the field compressed behind him.

The heavy 1-2 favorite Hey Nay Nay raced in midpack for much of the trip, launching a three-wide move on the turn as Unrivaled Time waited inside for room. Near the sixteenth pole, Unrivaled Time split horses, made slight contact with Hey Nay Nay, and then accelerated clear to take control.

Finish, margins, and time

Unrivaled Time drove to the wire and prevailed by three-quarters of a length in a final time of about 1:36.42 for the mile on firm turf. Iriseach closed strongly from last with a wide rally to grab second, edging Hey Nay Nay for the place by a neck, with Proton another three-quarters of a length back in fourth.

Steward inquiry and riding achievement

There was a stewards’ inquiry and an objection regarding the stretch run, focusing on the late contact and shifting paths among the leaders, but the original order of finish was allowed to stand. The victory gave jockey Diego Herrera his first graded stakes win at Del Mar, underscoring the significance of the ride and the breakthrough performance.

Trainer and form progression

Trainer Leonard Powell noted that Unrivaled Time had previously broken his maiden against California-breds at Santa Anita with a similar off-the-pace style. He explained that the main question heading into this graded event was whether the colt could handle the class hike, concluding after the race that “the answer is yes.”

Pedigree and status

Unrivaled Time is a California-bred son of Not This Time and became a graded stakes winner with this performance. The colt’s success added another graded or group winner to the record of his sire, further enhancing the stallion’s reputation.

“He let a couple of speed horses go for it and settled then came with one run like he did when he broke his maiden… the question mark was he good enough to step up and the answer is ‘yes’.”

Author’s summary

A poised stalking trip, a daring split between rivals, and a confirmed ability to handle stronger company turned Unrivaled Time’s DeMille victory into a defining early milestone of his career.

Paulick Report — 2025-12-01