Jersey Derby
$100.000 For Three Year Olds
1 Mile – Turf
Old Monmouth Park – May 30, 2026

In the preview for this race I noted that Perfect Folly had been very consistent and shown talent as well as versatility, but I didn’t see enough to pick him. That opinion was not shared by the vast, and correct, majority that sent him to the post as the 2-1 favorite. The three-year-old La Canada homebred rewarded the faith of those backers with a convincing win over six other three-year-old rivals in a new stakes record time of 1:32.99 besting the mark set last year by Mb Stable’s Person Of Interest. It is a two-year sample of the race being run at a mile but it is now the benchmark going forward.

Winner: Perfect Folly (La Canada Racehorses/Sa Camacho) Perfect Devil/Ziggy’s Folly (Zigmund) Tucked in along the rail behind the three pacesetters going around the clubhouse turn along with stalking partner Shichiroji to his outside. Began to inch forward as the field approached the final turn and the leading trio began to spread out with Go Go Goblin establishing himself as the clear leader. Began his run around the turn and made the lead at the top of the stretch. Had Go Go Goblin put away with a furlong left and easily withstood the late charge of the runner up who never got close enough to seriously threaten the winner. 

Second: Express Run (Alydar Stables/J. Bravo) Jersey Express/Spice Run (Racket Runner) Employed his normal strategy of dropping back early and settling into the race. Asked to begin his run once they hit the half mile marker and he steadily picked up the field other than the winner. Wore down a stubborn Go Go Goblin late to gain the place spot.

Third: Go Go Goblin (Mb Stables/S. Marin) Dirt Goblin/Ategic (Strategic Command) Set the early pace along with The Babylonian and Soho Danze. Began to inch ahead and became the clear leader after three furlongs. Led through the final turn but was caught at the head of the lane and was no challenge for the winner. Doggedly tried to hold second but was nipped at the wire by the late running Express Run. 

Fourth: Cody Cutter (Alydar Stables/J.L. Gonzalez) Racket Runner/Shock Island (Breath Of The Wild) Held at the back of the field just ahead of the trailer Express Run in the early stages. Was passed by that one with about a quarter of a mile to go and began his own rally which eventually saw him just passing The Babylonian for the fourth place prize in the final strides.

Preview Pick: Express Run – late running second. 

This was the first Jersey Derby win for La Canada Racehorses and jockey Sa Camacho. Perfect Folly has now finished in the money ten times in twelve lifetime starts. This was his first stakes win and third victory overall and brings his career earnings to $207.36. He is the second stakes winning son of sire Perfect Devil and first for dam Ziggys Folly. He has no won sprinting and routing. He also shows wins on dirt as well as turf and would likely run well on one of New Jersey’s famous boardwalks if you asked him to. 

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded