Cave Rock, Havnameltdown have Baffert sitting pretty for Del Mar Futurity
DEL MAR, Calif. – In Cave Rock and the stakes winner Havnameltdown, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will have the two leading runners in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs, the main race on Sunday, closing day of the summer meeting.
Cave Rock won his only race by 6 1/2 lengths on Aug. 13 at Del Mar, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 101. Havnameltdown is unbeaten in two starts, including the Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes at six furlongs on Aug. 14.
Baffert, who has won the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity a record 15 times since 1996, also will the start the maiden winner Newgate. Other candidates for the race are Agency, Classical Cat, and The Big Wam.
Trainer Peter Miller said Saturday that Mister Iceman will miss the Futurity and be rested for the remainder of the year. Mister Iceman won a maiden race Aug. 6.
Vegas Magic, the undefeated winner of the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on Aug. 13, will be after her fourth win in Saturday’s Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante at seven furlongs. Trained by Doug O’Neill, Vegas Magic will be part of small field in the $300,000 Debutante at seven furlongs.
Baffert plans to run the maiden winners Fast and Shiny and Home Cooking, while Miller will start the maiden winner And Tell Me Nolies.
Arella Star, a maiden winner on July 29 at Gulfstream Park for trainer Roderick Rodriguez, is the lone shipper for the Debutante.
Del Mar’s closing week runs from Friday through Sunday. Los Alamitos opens a two-week meeting Sept. 16.