Red Flag romps in Bob Hope at Del Mar; Spielberg fourth

Back to dirt after a maiden-breaking score last month on turf, Tina and Jerome Moss' Red Flag rolled to an authoritative 7 1/4-length victory in the $100,000 Bob Hope Stakes (G3) for 2-year-olds at Del Mar on Sunday.

Trained by John Shirreffs, Red Flag and Victor Espinoza raced widest of all down the backstretch as part of a four-horse scramble for the lead, which included odds-on favorite Spielberg for trainer Bob Baffert. 

After an opening quarter mile in 22.73, Red Flag started to inch away from the field on the turn through a half mile in 45.34 and had opened a clear advantage by the quarter pole. It was all over from there, as Red Flag lengthened his advantage in the stretch to win going away in a final time of 1:23.56 for seven furlongs.

"He broke running and he wanted to go," said Espinoza, a three-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey who was also aboard for Red Flag's maiden win. "He seemed to be more professional today than last time. He’s still a baby and he was fooling around before. Be he was good today and did all the right things. He’ll go farther, for sure. With the way he ran today, why not?”

Spielberg, a $1 million auction purchase seeking a first stakes win, failed to quicken on the turn when the real running began and faded to fourth. The effort from Spielberg comes one day after Baffert stablemate Private Mission could only muster fourth at odds-on in the Desi Arnaz for 2-year-old fillies.

Following Red Flag across the wire in the Bob Hope were runner-up Uncle Boogie and maiden Ambivalent. 

Red Flag paid $23.40 as the 10.70-1 fifth choice in a six-horse field. 

"I didn’t really expect that kind of performance -- I was hoping to get a placing," Shirreffs said. "He broke his maiden from way off the pace and he’s been doing better and better in the mornings, but he’s not a brilliant work horse. So this was a pleasant surprise. You always hope but you never know."

By the Speightstown stallion Tamarkuz out of Surrender, by Stormy Atlantic, Red Flag was never a factor when debuting at Del Mar going 5 1/2-furlongs on the main track in early September. He returned to earn his diploma in a turf sprint at Santa Anita on Oct. 10.

While Red Flag could now wheel back in four weeks time for the $200,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) on Dec. 19, the ever-conservative Shirreffs did not sound like it was likely. 

"I don't know if I'll go to Los Al, we'll just see what's down the road for him," Shirreffs told TVG's Brittney Eurton.