Alberto Giacometti, a group I winner in Europe, worked on the Hollywood Park turf course for the first time Friday in preparation for his U.S. debut in the $600,000 Hollywood Derby (gr. IT) on Nov. 30. The sophomore test has been lengthened one furlong to 1 1/4 miles on turf for this year's running.Alberto Giacometti, an Irish-bred colt, worked six furlongs around the dogs in 1:13 3/5 on a course listed firm under Jose Valdivia Jr., who has the Derby call. He has trained at San Luis Rey Downs for Laura de Seroux after being purchased privately this summer for Sid Port of Chicago following a sixth-place finish in the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris (Fr-I) in his last start on June 22.
"Like Ballingarry (a 4-year-old the stable acquired last year), he won the group I Grand Criterium (de Saint Cloud) as a 2-year-old," said assistant Geoff Ford. "He's a nice horse, looked really good and is coming around the right way." The Sadler's Wells colt has won two of six starts and earned $124,233. The colt was returned to San Luis Rey Downs after the work but will probably have two more drills here before the Derby, according to Ford.
