Del Mar Futurity Takes Closing Day Spotlight

By Margaret Ransom

Monday’s $300,000 Del Mar Futurity (GI) marks closing day of the prestigious summer racing season at Del Mar and, before getting out of town and heading back North, nine juveniles will square off over seven furlongs in search of bragging rights as the best of the division to represent the West Coast.

Hall of Famer Bob Baffert owns this race, having saddled 13 winners since his first in 1996 and, this year, sends out a pair, who will bookend the race with Soul Streit leading the field to post and Zatter bringing up the rear. But all eyes will be on the Best Pal Stakes (GII) winner Run Away looking to give trainer Simon Callaghan a first win in this race and a repeat for owner Kaleem Shah.

Since first contested in 1948, some good horses have reached the winner’s circle in the Del Mar Futurity, but the event rose to national prominence in the late 1970s when Flying Paster won en route to a standout 3-year-old campaign, which included a runner-up finish to Spectacular Bid in the Kentucky Derby (GI). Since then, some of the more recognizable Futurity winners include… (more)