Prospect Watch: California Chrome half-sister + 7 others

Attention, California Chrome! On Saturday, a flashy half-sister to the two-time Horse of the Year will debut at Del Mar, beginning a new chapter in the storybook saga of California Chrome’s family.

Captaire is her name, and we’ll explore her credentials and those of a few other high-profile juveniles in this week’s Prospect Watch.

Saturday

Saratoga Race 2: Maiden special weight (six furlongs, 12:08 p.m. EDT)

#2 Dr. Perry

Pedigree: Into Mischief—Not in Jest, by Unbridled’s Song

Purchase price: $690,000

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

This expensive yearling acquisition is a son of Into Mischief, a top-class sire of juveniles responsible for 15 percent winners from first-time starters. Asmussen has gone 13-for-42 (31 percent) debuting 2-year-olds in Saratoga dirt sprints since 2018 and is 4-for-11 (36 percent) with such runners this meet, suggesting Dr. Perry can fire a competitive shot under Asmussen’s go-to jockey Ricardo Santana. The gray colt already has shown speed in the mornings, clocking a bullet half mile from the Keeneland starting gate in 47 seconds flat last month.

#3 Be Better

Pedigree: Uncle Mo—Social Call, by Smart Strike

Purchase price: N/A

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

A Repole Stable homebred, Be Better is a son of acclaimed sire Uncle Mo, whose progeny strike at a 15 percent rate on debut. Pletcher is similarly hot with first-time starters, winning at a 20 percent clip, and he has gone 5-for-13 (38 percent) debuting juveniles in dirt sprints at Saratoga this summer. Be Better has put together a lengthy work tab in preparation for his debut, including a solid half mile from the Saratoga starting gate in :48 1/5, and he is slated to be ridden by three-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz. Don’t count him out.

#7 Steinbeck

Pedigree: Frosted—Nickel, by Unbridled’s Song

Purchase price: $650,000

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

The second Pletcher trainee in this field has been training steadily at Saratoga for the past two months, most notably clocking a swift half mile from the starting gate in :47 2/5. Jockey Luis Saez (a 29 percent winner when teaming up with Pletcher) is named to ride the son of Metropolitan Handicap (G1) winner Frosted.

Del Mar Race 1: Maiden special weight (six furlongs, 5:00 p.m. EDT)

#6 Captaire

Pedigree: Uncle Mo—Love the Chase, by Not for Love

Purchase price: N/A

Trainer: Bob Baffert

You can bet the most hyped first-time starter of the weekend will be Captaire. The daughter of Uncle Mo is a half-sister to 2014 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner and fan favorite California Chrome, who won seven Grade 1 stakes, four Eclipse Awards and more than $14.7 million across his decorated career.

While it is unlikely Captaire will achieve the same level of fame, she’s shown promise in the mornings at Del Mar, with her last four workouts being a half-mile from the gate in 47 4/5 seconds, five furlongs from the gate in 1:00 1/5 and five furlongs in 1:00 2/5. Jockey Abel Cedillo is named to ride the Bob Baffert trainee, which is noteworthy because Cedillo and Baffert have struck at a 23 percent rate together in the last two months. Don’t be surprised if Captaire romps in her first run under colors.

Del Mar Race 8: Maiden special weight (six furlongs, 8:30 p.m. EDT)

#2 Rockefeller

Pedigree: Medaglia d’Oro—Dance to Bristol, by Speightstown

Purchase price: $750,000

Trainer: Bob Baffert

One of the most expensive youngsters debuting this week is Rockefeller, and it is easy to understand why he brought such a hefty price as a yearling. A son of elite sire and stamina influence Medaglia d’Oro, Rockefeller was produced by the top-class sprinter Dance to Bristol, who won the Bed o’ Roses Handicap (G3), Honorable Miss Handicap (G2), and Ballerina (G1) as part of a seven-race win streak in 2013.

Rockefeller has turned in encouraging workouts at Del Mar, including six furlongs from the starting gate in 1:12 2/5, and might sprint straight to the winner’s circle on Saturday. Keep in mind, Baffert has compiled an excellent 14: 4-3-3 (29 percent) debuting juveniles in dirt sprints at Del Mar this meet.

#3 Union Train

Pedigree: Union Rags—Miss Frost, by Curlin

Purchase price: $325,000

Trainer: John Shirreffs

Although Union Train is a son of Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags out of a mare by Preakness Stakes winner Curlin, it’s possible the C R K Stable color bearer ultimately will prove most effective on turf. After all, dam Miss Frost was a two-time stakes winner on grass, and her first two foals – Torres Del Paine and White Frost – both have proven to be stakes-caliber on turf.

Nevertheless, Union Train has been training forwardly over the main track at Del Mar, so it’s possible the John Shirreffs trainee will ultimately develop into a multi-surface threat.

#4 South Street

Pedigree: Quality Road—Miss Catomine, by Bernardini

Purchase price: N/A

Trainer: Clifford Sise

It’s safe to say South Street brings a deep pedigree to his debut. A son of four-time Grade 1 winner and successful sire Quality Road, South Street was produced by Miss Catomine, a daughter of champion 2-year-old filly Sweet Catomine The extended female family also includes Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Life Is Sweet. If South Street has inherited a fraction of the talent possessed by his illustrious ancestors, he can develop into a high-class prospect.

#10 Encode

Pedigree: Empire Maker—Quantify, by Giant’s Causeway

Purchase price: $245,000

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Encode’s pedigree is absolutely loaded with stamina. Sire Empire Maker won the Belmont Stakes and is the grandsire of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, while dam sire Giant’s Causeway is a solid stamina influence whose progeny win at an average distance of 8.1 furlongs. Encode might need longer distances to show his best. But he did clock six furlongs from the Del Mar starting gate in a quick 1:12 2/5 last week, so it’s not out of the question to think he can factor on debut.