Best Pal Stakes a key prep for Bad Read Sanchez
DEL MAR, Calif. – Bad Read Sanchez’s appearance in Sunday’s $200,000 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar will determine how owners Paul and Zillah Reddam and trainer Doug O’Neill campaign their 2-year-olds in the final days of this summer season.
The Grade 2 Best Pal is a key prep for the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity over seven furlongs Sept. 3, the final day of the meeting.
Bad Read Sanchez, second in the W.L. Proctor Memorial Stakes at Los Alamitos on July 13 in his stakes debut, easily could run in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity with a successful race Sunday.
The stable already has a Futurity candidate in Wake Up Nick, who remained unbeaten after three races with a comprehensive victory in Wednesday’s $100,000 Graduation Stakes against California-breds. Another plan for Wake Up Nick is the $150,000 I’m Smokin Stakes for California-breds over six furlongs Sept. 1.
“If Bad Read Sanchez runs big, it could end up that he goes to the Futurity and the other goes to the I’m Smokin Stakes,” O’Neill said Thursday.
In the Graduation, Wake Up Nick ($3.40) closed from third in a field of six with a wide rally to take the lead before the eighth pole. Ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Wake Up Nick ran 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.49, drawing off by 4 1/4 lengths to outfinish Atta’ Boy Woody.
“We thought we had the best horse in the race,” O’Neill said. “Mario rode with a ton of confidence.”
Wake Up Nick has won two stakes, beginning June 22 with the Santa Anita Juvenile. He was entered for the W.L. Proctor Stakes but was withdrawn.
By Cindago, Wake Up Nick has earned $165,600. He was purchased for $35,000 at the Barretts March sale of 2-year-olds in training this year.
There also is a chance that the Reddam-O’Neill team could run both Bad Read Sanchez and Wake Up Nick in the Del Mar Futurity.
“Anything is possible,” O’Neill said. “You’ve got to think of it. It’s in our backyard. The way [Wake Up Nick] ran down the lane, I don’t think seven furlongs will be a problem.”
The field of probable starters in the Best Pal Stakes includes Story to Tell, the winner of the Proctor Stakes, as well as Conquest Bigluck E, Henry’s Holiday, Highway Boss, Rowdy Dylan, and Two Six Wins.