Eleven Juveniles Tangle in Del Mar Futurity
Another highly-successful racing season at Del Mar comes to a close Wednesday, featuring the traditional final-day headliner, the Grade I $300,000 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs for the outstanding two-year-olds in the West.
Frequently an early showcase for talented youngsters who venture onto the Kentucky Derby trail the following spring, the 63rd running of the Futurity attracted a full field of eleven colts, most of whom are lightly-raced but have shown promise in the afternoon.
Early favorite in a wide-open renewal is Alberts Hope, two-for-two in his career including a game half-length triumph in the Best Pal Stakes. Back to try again versus Alberts Hope will be Celtic Moon, the Best Pal runner-up. Alonso Quinonez rides Alberts Hope, while Garrett Gomez pilots Celtic Moon.
Alpine Luck won the Hollywood Juvenile Championship but was fifth in the Best Pal. Gary Stevens has the mount.
Others in the line-up are Skydreamin, Agapito Delgadillo; Can the Man, Martin Garcia; Dance with Fate, Rafael Bejarano; Rum Point, Patrick Valenzuela; California Chrome, Alberto Delgado; Guns Loaded, Joe Talamo; Tamarando, Julien Leparoux, and Indexical, Mario Gutierrez.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will be seeking an amazing twelfth Del Mar Futurity victory with his hopeful, Can the Man, winner of a maiden race in mid-August.
Also on the 37th and last program of the season are three stakes, the $90,000 C.E.R.F. Stakes for older fillies and mares at six furlongs, the $90,000 Pirate’s Bounty Stakes for older sprinters, also at six furlongs, and the $100,000 Oak Tree Juvenile Turf for two-year-olds at one mile on the grass.
Post time for the first of ten races Wednesday will be 2 p.m.