Baffert finds spots for Mother Mother, Chasing Yesterday

DEL MAR, Calif. – Mother Mother will remain at Del Mar for the Grade 1 Debutante on Saturday and Chasing Yesterday will head to Saratoga for that day’s Grade 1 Spinaway as trainer Bob Baffert tries to find optimum spots for some of his 2-year-old fillies – without them having to face one another.

Baffert on Monday made the final call on their placement after Mother Mother worked five furlongs at Del Mar in 1:00.80 in company with the multiple stakes-winning older horse Hoppertunity.

Joe Talamo will ride Mother Mother, Baffert said. Mike Smith is heading to Saratoga to ride Chasing Yesterday, and will remain there to ride the comebacking 3-year-old filly Dream Tree on Sunday in the Grade 2 Prioress.

Both Mother Mother and Chasing Yesterday, a half-sister to American Pharoah, won their only start earlier this meet.

The Debutante is shaping up as a terrific race. Heading up the prospective field are the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained Brill – like Mother Mother a fast debut winner – and Sorrento winner Bellafina, trained by Simon Callaghan.

Smith aboard Roadster in Futurity

After riding at Saratoga on Saturday and Sunday, Mike Smith will be back at Del Mar on Monday to ride highly regarded debut winner Roadster for trainer Bob Baffert in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity, highlight of the closing-day card.

Roadster will be taking on at least one and perhaps two runners Jerry Hollendorfer trains for Larry Best, including Instagrand, winner of the Grade 2 Best Pal earlier this month.

Rowayton, a debut winner for Hollendorfer and Best earlier in the meet, is also under consideration for the Futurity. Hollendorfer said he and Best would wait until later in the week to decide whether to run one of them or both.

The main event Sunday is the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby for 3-year-old turf runners, with La Jolla winner River Boyne expected to meet Andesh, Arawak, Desert Stone, Epical, Kazan, Pubilius Syrus, Restrainedvengence, and Take the One O One.