Know More made Del Mar history by winning the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes in his
career debut, but the Reddam Racing colorbearer will be subjected to a stiffer
test in Wednesday’s Grade 1, $300,000
Del
Mar Futurity. The highlight of the closing-day program, the seven-furlong
contest has lured such sharp maiden winners as Capo Bastone, Rolling Fog and
Gabriel Charles.
Representing the same connections as Kentucky Derby and Preakness hero I’ll
Have Another, Know More skipped the usual introduction in a maiden special
weight and plunged right into the August 5 Best Pal. The Lion Heart colt handled
the assignment, rallying from off the pace to score by a half-length, and
thereby becoming the first horse to win a graded stakes at Del Mar in his career
debut.
Ironically, however, this perhaps substandard renewal of the Best Pal might
have been a somewhat easier spot than a couple of Del Mar’s deep maiden races,
crammed with other highly-regarded juveniles. Such a view is bolstered by the
fact that the respective second and third in the Best Pal were both fillies —
Heir Kitty and Miss Empire — who were soundly beaten in last Saturday’s Grade 1
Del Mar Debutante.
Trainer Doug O’Neill mentioned immediately following the Best Pal that the
barn has a few good maidens, and decided to aim high with the one believed to be
the best of them, Know More. O’Neill has since begun serving his 40-day
suspension, leaving longtime assistant Leandro Mora as the trainer of record who
will handle the saddling duties Wednesday.
Garrett Gomez had spent time working Know More even before the Best Pal, and
he continues their partnership from post 5 in the Del Mar Futurity.
The John Sadler-trained Capo Bastone created a big impression in his August 4
debut at Del Mar. A full 10 lengths behind turning for home, the son of hot
freshman sire Street Boss closed rapidly, and artfully, when having to alter
course around a wayward rival in deep stretch. Capo Bastone didn’t flinch, but
simply inhaled the leader to win well in hand by a neck.
Although he loses Gomez to Know More, Capo Bastone has picked up an
eyecatching new rider — New York-based Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who comes
in to pilot the promising colt from post 2.
Sadler will also be represented by Scherer Magic, who hopes to rebound off a
fifth as the even-money favorite in the Best Pal. Claimed for $50,000 out of his
debut romp at Hollywood Park, the Doneraile Court gelding came back to take the
Grade 3 Hollywood Juvenile Championship. Corey Nakatani takes over the mount.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has won this race no fewer than 10 times,
and could notch number 11 with Rolling Fog. By the speedy Posse, Rolling Fog
vied early before kicking 2 1/4 lengths clear in his August 4 unveiling. His
time for 5 1/2 furlongs on Polytrack (1:04 3/5) was slower than Capo Bastone’s
on the same day (1:03 4/5), but so were the early fractions. Rafael Bejarano,
who has been on a tear in stakes this meet, has the return call.
Should Rolling Fog succeed, he would join an illustrious list of Baffert
trainees to win the Del Mar Futurity. The redoubtable Silver Charm gave Baffert
the first of his seven straight victories (1996 to 2002), and more recently,
champion Midshipman (2008), two-time champion Lookin at Lucky (2009) and Drill
(2011) have added to his haul.
Gabriel Charles defeated one of Baffert’s smart prospects, Den’s Legacy, when
starting his career here July 21. The son of Street Hero rallied and held on by
a nose beneath Joe Talamo, who sticks with the Jeff Mullins pupil in post 1.
Rounding out the field are Heir of Storm, fourth in the Best Pal; the filly
Switch to the Lead, most recently third to Executiveprivilege in the Grade 3
Sorrento; $80,000 maiden claiming winner Yankee Rebel; Caballo del Cielo, who
was just run down by one of Know More’s stablemates, He’s Had Enough, in an
August 12 maiden; and fellow maidens Pure Loyalty, The Whole Deal and Ive Struck
a Nerve.
He’s Had Enough won’t take on his comrade Know More in the Del Mar Futurity,
with connections opting instead for the inaugural $100,000
Oak
Tree Juvenile Turf elsewhere on the card. The Tapit colt overcame a slow
start to get up in time in his 6 1/2-furlong debut on Polytrack. His pedigree
suggests that he will cope with the stretch-out to a mile, and he should relish
the turf. Gomez will be back aboard He’s Had Enough.
Jerry Hollendorfer’s unbeaten Zeewat is likewise aiming to handle the surface
switch. He has won both starts on dirt impressively, including the Cavonnier
Juvenile, and has plenty of turf pedigree himself. Dry Summer, a last-out maiden
winner for Jeff Mullins over Forest Boy, goes Polytrack to turf.
The respective top three from a course-and-distance maiden — Shining Copper,
Buckleberry Grey and Power Broker — stand to benefit from having a race in
these conditions. Shining Copper prevailed by a half-length that day in his
second try for Neil Drysdale, while Buckleberry Grey turned in an encouraging
debut for David Hofmans. The Baffert-trained Power Broker was the controlling
speed before yielding late in his first turf and two-turn attempt.
The only others with prior turf experience are a pair of imports. Parisian
Prince, who won at first asking at Ayr, is now with Simon Callaghan. Caught
Napping, fifth in his debut on turf, went on to win his next two at synthetic
tracks in England, and still has to prove himself on this surface and at at this
level.
Del Mar will also host a pair of restricted six-furlong stakes, and trainer
Peter Miller holds a strong hand in each $85,000 race. Grade 1 veteran Comma to
the Top headlines the
Pirate’s Bounty, while Grade 2 star Reneesgotzip returns to action in the
companion
C.E.R.F. for distaffers.
Comma to the Top exits a fourth in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby. His Pirate’s
Bounty foes include Grade 1-placed stakes scorer Mobilized, who wheels back 10
days after his fifth in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien; Mensa Heat, most recently
runner-up to Coil in an allowance; track specialists Bench Points and Courtside;
and the Baffert trio of Sinai, Sequoia Warrior and Bank the Eight.
Reneesgotzip, a dominating 7 3/4-length winner of the Grade 2 Santa Ynez in
January, is undefeated in sprints. Her only two losses were runner-up efforts in
a pair of Grade 1 routes, the Las Virgenes and Santa Anita Oaks, missing by a
nose in the latter. Last seen wiring a 6 1/2-furlong allowance at Hollywood on
May 4, Reneesgotzip will clash with the Baffert duo of Pink Lollipops and
Candrea; turf performer Byrama, who shortens up, tries Polytrack and adds
blinkers here; another turfiste in Givine, who was third in last year’s C.E.R.F.
in her only prior synthetic appearance; and Jet Blue Girl, who makes her first
start off the claim for Peter Eurton.
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