Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner California Chrome enhanced his claim to consideration for year-end Horse of the Year honors Saturday with a brilliant victory in the Grade I $300,000 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar.

Showing a return to the form which propelled him to six straight victories this year, California Chrome and regular rider Victor Espinoza won the Hollywood Derby by two lengths, with the star filly from Canada, Lexie Lou, finishing second. Talco was third, a length behind the runner-up. Sawyer’s Hill faded to fourth in the field of six three-year-olds. Completing the order were Cabral and Flamboyant.

California Chrome, the California-bred son of Lucky Pulpit owned and bred by Steve Coburn and Perry Martin and trained by Art Sherman, demonstrated a new facet of his ability as he won impressively in his debut on grass. He ran the mile and one-eighth on the infield turf course in 1:47.88 for his ninth triumph in 16 career starts. First money of $180,000 increased his lifetime earnings to $4,222,650.

Going postward to the applause of the biggest crowd of Del Mar’s inaugural fall Bing Crosby Season and backed down to 3-5 favortism, California Chrome returned $3.40, $2.60 and $2.10. Lexie Lou, lone female in the field, paid $3 and $2.60, while Talco returned $3.60 to show.

Breaking alertly from the gate, California Chrome went to the front in the initial furlong but relinquished command to Sawyer’s Hill who rushed up under Rafael Bejarano to take the lead heading into the backstretch

California Chrome was content to stalk Sawyer’s Hill until the far turn where he moved strongly, surging to the top in the upper stretch. He was under light urging from Espinoza in the stretch to ensure his triumph.

The Hollywood Derby marked California Chrome’s fourth success of 2014 in a Grade I race, following wins in the Santa Anita Derby, Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. Seeking to become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to win the Triple Crown, California Chrome could do no better than a deadheat for fourth in the Belmont Stakes.

Sixth in the Pennsylvania Derby after a freshening, California Chrome was third beaten only a neck behind Bayern and Toast of New York in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita Nov. 1.

In supporting features on the Hollywood Derby program, 2-1 favored Big Cazanova and jockey Elvis Trujillo led from start to finish to win the Grade III $200,000 Native Diver Stakes for older horses and 21-1 longshot Ol’ Fashion Gal prevailed in the $150,000 Jimmy Durante Stakes for two-year-old fillies.

Big Cazanova, a five-year-old bred in Argentina, scored decisively by 3 ¼ lengths over Blue Tone, with Avanzare third and Fleet Eagle fourth in a field of seven runners.

Big Cazanova, who established the main track record of 1:48.85 for a mile and one-eighth last summer, ran Saturday’s nine-furlong distance in 1:49.28 and returned $6.20.

Owned by the Wachtel Stable, Barber et al and trained by Peter Miller, Big Cazanova was scoring his fourth victory in 20 career starts. First money of $120,000 increased his earnings to $393,692.

In the Jimmy Durante Stakes at one mile on the infield grass course, Ol’ Fashion Gal and jockey Joe Talamo won by a neck over 7-5 favored Rainha Da Bateria, with Don’t Blame Me third and Jaded Glory fourth in a line-up of eleven fillies.

Ol’ Fashion, a filly by Sky Mesa owned by Bill and Vicki Poston and conditioned by Mark Casse, raced the mile in 1:37.27 and paid $45.60 to win. It was her second success in three starts and first money of $90,000 increased her bankroll to $123,850.

With no perfect tickets in Saturday’s Pick Six, a carryover of $130,533 will be offered Sunday on closing day of the fall season.

Post time for the first race Sunday is 12:30 with the Pick Six conducted on the fourth through ninth races. Featured will be the $150,000 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes for two-year-olds and the Grade I $300,000 Matriarch Stakes for older fillies and mares.