Bright Navvy and Laffin Hyena resumed their friendly rivalry in the Hollywood Park Derby GI on the turf. They have already met three times before with Bright Navvy having the advantage by beating Laffin Hyena twice, first in the Del Mar Derby GII and the Jamaica Handicap GI but on their first encounter Laffin Hyena although not winning but running second in the American Derby GII at Arlington Park and Bright Navvy was a remote fifth. With both these formidable competitors entered the race was set up to be a must see.

The field got off to an even start and a rush of horses were up front fighting for the early lead with Coastal Jet showing slightly over Pecks Bad Boy and Laffin Hyena followed by Crossroads, Bright Navvy and then behind were Southern Admiral on the rail running with Donative to his outside and at the back in between horses was Boston Heat. They approached the clubhouse turn to enter the back stretch and the top three runners were still one-two-three but in behind them Bright Navvy began to position himself and took over the fourth spot from Crossroads.

Southern Admiral began to move up slowly on the rail and Donative angled outside and passed Crossroads also leaving Boston Heat still lagging at the back. As they entered the short run on the back stretch Laffin Hyena was only a neck off the lead and Coastal Jet seemed to be struggling, Pecks Bad Boy was still in the mix but they were now joined by a new competitor in Bright Navvy who drew up alongside the three runners dueling it out. Bright Navvy breezed on by them with a little over a half to run, Pecks Bad Boy began to move as well but seemed to be going nowhere. Coastal Jet and Laffin Hyena were also still holding on with the challengers from the rare inching closer with every stride. Bright Navvy was almost three lengths in front and looked all out to be a run-away winner but Laffin Hyena was not having that at all, he was still on the rail and he switched his lead on the final turn for home and began to inch closer to the new leader. Pecks Bad Boy moved with him and Coastal Jet had enough and began to fade in the wind. Donative and Southern Admiral moved as a team but Donative had a half length advantage over him and they both passed the fading Coastal Jet.

Into the stretch they came with Bright Navvy still in front but Laffin Hyena and Pecks Bad Boy were running their hearts out and they still had two lengths to make up but Bright Navvy was not giving up. Laffin Hyena lengthened his stride as Bright Navy seemed to be tying up on the front end and behind those Donative and Southern Admiral were on the either sides of Pecks Bad Boy, but he is too good of a runner to have these two pressuring him and possibly losing the third spot. Back up front bright Navvy still churned it out on the lead and Laffin Hyena was still fighting to get to him but with a furlong to go he still had two lengths to make up and Bright Navvy showed no signs of stopping. It was only a sixteenth left to run and Laffin Hyena found a burst of speed and closed the two length gap but that was not good enough as the wire reared is ugly head and Bright Navvy crossed a one length winner making their rivalry even more interesting as they approach the new year in which they will face older even more experienced runners in the turf routing division. A battle ensued for the third spot and the ever so lucky Pecks Bad Boy out bobbed Southern Admiral for third and Boston Heat rushed in from the back to take fifth. Donative had to settle for sixth with the new Crossroads in seventh and the new challenger Coastal Jet getting schooled and had to settle for last.