Mr. Mellon, winner of the Arlington Park Handicap (gr. II) and trained by W. Elliott Walden, was scheduled to arrive Wednesday for Saturday's $300,000 Del Mar Derby (gr. IIT) at 1 1/8 mile on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. At least nine are expected to go postward in the race for 3-year-olds. Along with Mr. Mellon, those committed are Del Mar's Oceanside divisional winners Rock Opera and True Phenomenon, La Jolla Handicap champion Inesperado, Relaunch winner Dell Place, Golden Arrow, Hecandigit, Johar and Mountain Rage. Still on the fence are Gold Point and Something Rushing.
Torsionnaire, a recent addition to the barn of trainer Martin Jones, has been withdrawn as a candidate for the Derby, Jones confirmed Wednesday morning. This marks the second straight year Walden has sent a prospect West for the Del Mar Derby. His Indygo Shiner was a solid second in last year's Derby, beaten a length by Romanceishope.
