Cave Rock makes it look easy in Del Mar Futurity

DEL MAR, Calif. - Jockey Juan Hernandez will remember the Del Mar meeting that ended on Sunday as his first riding title at the track’s prestigious summer season. His leading mount during the eight-week season was Cave Rock, the winner of Sunday’s Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity whose career is ascending rapidly.

Cave Rock ($2.80) won the $302,000 Del Mar Futurity by 5 1/4 lengths, easily beating his highly respected stablemate Havnameltdown. Cave Rock ran seven furlongs in stakes-record time of 1:20.99, giving Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert a record 16th win in the track’s leading annual race for juveniles. He earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure.

Cave Rock and Havnameltdown are owned by the partnership of Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, longtime clients of Baffert’s.

Cave Rock won the Del Mar Futurity in a fashion that left Hernandez impressed. Cave Rock set a rapid pace of 21.56 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 43.65 for a half-mile, leading by a length over Havnameltdown.

“I didn’t push him to go that quick,” Hernandez said. “He wanted to do that.”

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A potential stretch duel between Cave Rock and Havnameltdown was fleeting. Cave Rock led by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining before rapidly pulling away.

“When he switched leads, I shook the reins and he kept going,” Hernandez said. “He never stopped.”

Havnameltdown was beaten for the first time in the Del Mar Futurity, having won a maiden special weight race at five furlongs on July 24 and his stakes debut in the Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes at six furlongs on Aug. 14.

Mike Smith rode Havnameltdown for the first time in the Del Mar Futurity, taking over from Hernandez who had the mount in the Best Pal.

Smith took an aggressive approach aboard Havnameltdown in the first half of the race.

“I had to give him a chance,” Smith said. “I wanted him to be happy and comfortable on the backstretch.”

Havnameltdown could not keep pace late, while finishing clear of seven rivals.

“I had plenty and he had more,” Smith said.

Skinner, a troubled fifth in his debut behind Havnameltdown on July 24, closed from last to finish third, 9 1/2 lengths behind Cave Rock. Jockey Victor Espinoza said Skinner was affected by dirt in his face on the backstretch.

“The kickback was a little hard on him,” Espinoza said. “When I moved him to the outside, he got his confidence. He finished pretty well.

“He has a lot in his future.”

Newgate, also trained by Baffert, finished fourth, and was followed by The Big Wam, Mixto, Classical Cat, Agency and Pop d’Oro.

Cave Rock, a colt by Arrogate, is unbeaten in two starts. Cave Rock won a maiden special weight race at 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.81 on Aug. 13, earning a 101 Beyer Speed Figure.

Cave Rock was purchased for $550,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale. Cave Rock has earned $228,000.

Baffert did not attend the races at Del Mar on Saturday and Sunday. He was already in Kentucky, scouting potential purchases at the Keeneland September yearling sale that begins on Monday.