The seasons are changing, and so is the racing schedule in Southern California.
Sunday is closing day at Del Mar. The action shifts to Los Alamitos for two weeks before Santa Anita returns on Sept. 27. Then it’s back to Del Mar for the “Bing Meet” that includes the Breeders’ Cup in early November.
The final card of the summer season “Where the Turf Meets the Surf” features a pair of 2-year-old stakes: the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity (G1) at 7 furlongs and the 1-mile $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf (G3).
Getaway Car. Benoit Photo.
Baffert Seeks a record 18th Del Mar Futurity Win
The Del Mar Futurity is California’s equivalent of the Hopeful Stakes (G1), Saratoga’s main event on Labor Day which was the final card of that meet.
Both are key contests that serve as important 7-furlong main track springboards for promising juveniles headed to the Breeders’ Cup, and beyond to next year’s Triple Crown.
At Saratoga, the dynamic duo of trainer Chad Brown and jockey Flavien Prat combined for a milestone win in the Hopeful with Chancer McPatrick, who paid a generous $10.80 to win.
For Brown, leading trainer at the meet, it was a record 13th graded win. Irad Ortiz, Jr. won the riding title, but it was Prat who nabbed the headlines with a record 14th graded-stakes win.
The parallels will likely continue in the Del Mar where trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Juan Hernandez rule the roost.
Baffert, who already has an astounding 17 wins in the Del Mar Futurity, sends out a trio of undefeated colts topped by Best Pal (G3) winner Getaway Car. Hernandez will again be aboard the son of Curlin who is 2-for-2, has never been headed in either race, and will look to control things from the rail.
“We’ve been really lucky together,” Hernandez said of Baffert. “He always gives me a lot of confidence riding his horses. He always has his horses ready and we’re a great team.”
The two have combined on 19 victories including six stakes wins at the meet heading into the final weekend.
Gaming and Citizen Bull, Baffert’s other two horses in the race, are both stepping up to stakes company following impressive debut victories. Either could snare the top prize should Getaway Car falter.
McKinzie Street, a determined winner in his first start, appears the best of the rest.
For those who bet horse racing …
The picks: 1 Getaway Car 2 Gaming 3 McKinzie Street
Full Field for Juvenile Turf
The Juvenile Turf seemingly has something for everyone. It attracted a full field of 14, so it should be a competitive scramble.
It features An Chorr Dubh, a filly from Ireland taking on the boys and a trio from trainer Doug O’Neill: Ivan the Great, Tiz Happy and Pali Kitten.
The most intriguing horse in the race is Mischief River who is also entered in the Del Mar Futurity. This would be his grass debut after chasing Getaway Car last time in the Best Pal, finishing second, 5 ½ lengths behind the winner.
Trainer James Glenn, Jr. seems to be leaning in this direction rather than have another go at Getaway Car. Discretion is often the better part of valor.
The picks: 1 Mischief River 2 An Chorr Dubh 3 Artislas
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
