Collusion Illusion to skip Del Mar Futurity, point to FrontRunner Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – Collusion Illusion, the undefeated winner of the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes for 2-year-olds on Aug. 10, is unlikely to race again until late September.

Trainer Mark Glatt said on Wednesday he plans to run Collusion Illusion in the Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Sept. 27 and will pass the Grade1 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs on Sept. 2.

“We’ll probably wait for Santa Anita,” Glatt said. “It would be too much racing in a short period of time. Something could change my mind, but that’s my thinking now.”

Collusion Illusion has started twice at the Del Mar summer meeting, winning a five-furlong maiden special weight race on July 21 in his debut and the Best Pal Stakes at six furlongs.

Glatt said the long-term goal is the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Nov. 1. The winners of the Del Mar Futurity and FrontRunner Stakes receive fees-paid berths to the BC Juvenile.

Collusion Illusion, by Twirling Candy, races for Dan Agnew, Rodney Orr, Jerry Schneider, and John Xitco, and was purchased for $300,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales 2-year-olds in-training auction in Florida in April.