Cave Rock wins Del Mar Futurity as Baffert ties for trainer title
After tying with Phil D’Amato for the title of most wins in the just-concluded Del Mar summer meet, the Bob Baffert camp cannot wait to get back home to Santa Anita.
The two powerhouse California operations finished the summer in San Diego with 19 wins apiece, after Baffert’s Cave Rock saluted in the USD $300,000 (AUD $438k) Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity on Sunday (US time).
That was the penultimate race for the meet.
After winning their first trainers’ title at Del Mar since 2003 – when they capped a streak of seven consecutive titles – the Baffert team are eager to carry forward their success to the iconic Los Angeles track.
“Our next plan is to get out of here and go back to Santa Anita,” Baffert’s assistant Jimmy Barnes told HorseBetting.com.au.
“The horses have done very well. We want to carry it over to Santa Anita and the Breeders’ Cup.
“We have a way of finding the winner’s circle, and that’s our job.”
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Barnes was delighted with Speed Boat Beach’s victory in a USD $80,000 (AUD $116k) maiden for two-year-olds over 5 ½ furlongs on Saturday.
Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman’s colt sped to a track record in his racing debut, saluting in 1:01.86.
The previous record was 1:02.10.
Baffert had put 10 works into Speed Boat Beach at Los Alamitos and Del Mar prior to his Saturday start, including a local 58.60 five-furlong drill out of the gate on September 3.
“We kind of expected him to run that way. Training up to the race he really showed he was a fast horse and had a lot of speed,” Barnes said, with stablemate Hejazi 1 ¼ lengths behind as the runner-up.
“For first-time starters you never really know. He got a break and moved down the inside.
“He did what he needed to do. He was fast and opened up when he got into the clear.”
Also on Saturday, Clifford Sise Jr admitted Maynard “has a few demons” after he too broke his maiden status in race four on the program.
The three-year-old gelding tried to prop as he led the USD $20,000 (AUD $29k) race over a mile on dirt, leading to a delay in the result of the race being handed down by stewards.
“He tried to prop – that was what the inquiry was about,” Sise Jr told HorseBetting.com.au.
“He does have a few little demons.
“(Jockey Mike Smith) said he could’ve won by 15 lengths, but he was just goofing around.
“When those horses came to him, he took off again.
“He’ll probably go back in the starter races on the grass.”