The Best Pal Stakes is a Grade 3 stakes race for Two-year-olds contested over a distance of 6 furlongs, run annually at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California.
The 2026 Best Pal Stakes is expected to take place on August 8th.
Notable winners of the Best Pal Stakes include top horses such as Best Pal, Officer, Lookin At Lucky, and Instagrand. Many past winners have gone on to compete in major graded stakes during the season, which reinforces the race’s growing importance among bettors and handicappers.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Desert Gate | Juan J. Hernandez | Bob Baffert | 1:10.37 |
| 2024 | Getaway Car | Juan J. Hernandez | Bob Baffert | 1:10.73 |
| 2023 | Prince of Monaco | Flavien Prat | Bob Baffert | 1:09.19 |
| 2022 | Havnameltdown | Juan J. Hernandez | Bob Baffert | 1:10.22 |
| 2021 | Pappacap | Joe Bravo | Mark E. Casse | 1:11.66 |
| 2020 | Weston | Drayden Van Dyke | Ryan Hanson | 1:12.72 |
