The first wave of California 2-year-olds arrived early at Santa Anita and Los Alamitos, but the cream rises in summer at Del Mar. The 2023 season begins Friday, and many of the circuit’s most highly regarded prospects are nearing their career debuts. Colts knocking on the door include Dr. Park (by Uncle Mo) and Heartland (Justify), siblings to juvenile champions Forte and Classic Empire, respectively. Miracle Mark (Constitution) is a precocious sibling to durable sprint champion Whitmore. Unraced fillies who have displayed above-average promise include fast-working Thermal (Nyquist), Gate to Paradise (Arrogate), and Glo Glo (Mendelssohn). Beyond unraced juveniles, a handful of colts have already delivered. Muth (Good Magic), a $2 million sprinter, crushed maidens with an 87 Beyer Speed Figure, highest so far by a California 2-year-old. Prince of Monaco (Speightstown) clobbered maidens with an 81; Tranche (Collected) earned an 80 romping in a stakes. Fillies include runaway maiden winner Pushiness (Kantharos), whose work pattern was subsequently interrupted by a temperature. Benedetta (City of Light) crushed in her debut; Grand Slam Smile (Smiling Tiger) won a stakes. The 2-year-old division will be fluid, as fast maiden winners target stakes. The Grade 3, six-furlong Sorrento for fillies is Aug. 12. The Grade 3, six-furlong Best Pal is the first open graded stakes on Aug. 13; Muth is the early Best Pal favorite. Juvenile stakes culminate with seven-furlong Grade 1s – the Del Mar Debutante for fillies on Sept. 9, and Del Mar Futurity on closing day, Sept. 10. :: DRF's 2023 Del Mar headquarters: Previews, past performances, picks, recaps, news, and more. Turf runners will target $100,000 mile stakes late in the season – the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf on Sept. 9 and Del Mar Juvenile Turf on Sept. 10. Ellie Moore (Starspangledbanner), a maiden filly from Europe with a noteworthy company line, could make her U.S. debut this summer. Four stakes for California-bred juveniles on dirt include the CTBA for fillies Aug. 6, the Graduation Stakes on Aug. 11, the Generous Portion for fillies Sept. 4, and the I’m Smokin on Sept. 8. This season’s 2-year-old crop includes the biggest group sired by California stallion Clubhouse Ride. The 2023 juvenile class is the final crop by the late Arrogate and the first crop by new Kentucky stallions Omaha Beach, Audible, Catalina Cruiser, and Vino Rosso. This story identifies 2-year-old prospects expected to race this summer at Del Mar, grouped alphabetically by trainer. Bob Baffert: As usual, Baffert enters summer with the deepest roster of 2-year-olds in California. His colts include flashy debut winners Muth and Prince of Monaco; the runner-up debut by Mirahmadi (Into Mischief) in a stakes sets up the $1.05 million colt as a next-out contender in a maiden race. Many will follow. In addition to top prospect Heartland, the list of unraced colts training with Baffert includes Dagger Ranch (Curlin), Pastor T (Into Mischief), Point Dume (Into Mischief), Head Lad (St. Patrick’s Day), Rothschild (Uncle Mo), Tall Paul (Frosted), Winterfell (Arrogate), and Wordsworth (Curlin). Others are Private Polish (Arrogate), a $1.45 million 2-year-old, and Ultra Power (Curlin), produced by Grade 1 winner Unique Bella. Collmus (Gun Runner), a $2.2 million 2-year-old, only recently posted his initial three-furlong work; his debut will be much later. An unnamed (Frosted – Handwoven) $900,000 spring purchase stopped working in May. Baffert’s unraced fillies include fast worker Dua (Arrogate); Halone (Justify), a sibling to two graded winners; Masquerading (Justify), produced by Grade 1 winner Midnight Lucky; and Nothing Like You (Malibu Moon). Seismic Beauty (Uncle Mo) had her work pattern interrupted early this month. An unnamed (Quality Road – Ithinkisawapudycat) $1.8 million yearling filly also is training. Baffert has won the Del Mar Futurity a record 16 times, and Del Mar Debutante a record 10. The past five summers at Del Mar, he is 33 for 82 (40 percent) with debut 2-year-olds. Phil D’Amato: Miracle Mark should be an early starter. D’Amato said the Constitution sibling to Whitmore “has trained very well, I’m looking to run him at the beginning” of the meet. He said the filly Glo Glo “has shown a lot of talent” and could be ready in late August. While dirt is likely for Miracle Mark and Glo Glo, D’Amato enters summer with promising maiden turf fillies imported from Ireland. Ellie Moore sports an intriguing company line. In her only start overseas, she finished second by a neck to Porta Fortuna, who subsequently won two stakes, including a Group 3 at Royal Ascot. Ennereilly (Footstepsinthesand) also finished second in her debut in Ireland; the winner won a stakes next out. Loterie (Ten Sovereigns) finished third in her career debut in Ireland. Peter Eurton: In addition to recent debut runner-up filly Tambo (Enticed), Eurton enters summer with a host of promising 2-year-olds. Uplift (Upstart) was a spring purchase for $250,000; the colt has shown early promise. Laurent (Practical Joke), a filly, “is built like a tank,” Eurton said. “She’s got size, she’s got power.” Though winning first out is not usually a Eurton priority, Vibez (Collected) might be an exception when she eventually makes her debut. “She’s very fast, she’s a filly I would have no issues with going five-eighths.” Other fillies include She is Romantic (Blame), purchased for $550,000 in spring. “She has lots of athleticism,” Eurton said. Flattery (Flatter) is a late developer; Paradise Lake (Uncle Mo) has a big pedigree; her second dam is a sibling to Zenyatta. Mark Glatt: The colt A Day to Remember (American Pharoah) is expected to debut in early summer. His dam is stakes winner/producer Kindle. A Day to Remember “was really good out of the gate” his first gate drill, Glatt said. The trainer’s early filly roster is led by Chatalas (Gun Runner), whose dam Indian Safari won her only start for Glatt in 2014. Glatt said Chatalas is “a little green still,” but “quick from the gate.” :: Visit the Del Mar Handicapping Store for Past Performances, Clocker Reports, Picks, Betting Strategies, and more. Jane Austen (Tapit), a $750,000 yearling, could run near the end of summer. Glatt’s 2-year-olds include many who will debut later this year or during the winter at Santa Anita. Craig Lewis: All 15 Lewis-trained 2-year-olds are by Clubhouse Ride. Lewis does not typically crank to win first out, preferring gradual development. Speaking in general about his California-bred juvenile lineup, Lewis said “it looks like there’s some promise.” Two are full brothers to graded winners. Brickhouse Ride is a full to graded stakes-winning sprinter Brickyard Ride; Warren’s Worn Out is a full to graded stakes winner Warren’s Showtime. Lewis-trained California-bred fillies with enough precocity to start early in the meet are Sky Sailing and Asada Fries. Stay tuned, this year’s Clubhouse Rides babies may be the sire’s best. Richard Mandella: He has more 2-year-olds than usual this season, including Revised Statute (Constitution), a $1.8 million yearling who Mandella said “will be better going longer.” Eisenhower (War Front) is a sibling to Grade 1 turf-route winner Annapolis, but Mandella said Eisenhower “is very quick, he’s made to be fast.” Boltage (Bolt d’Oro) also is believed to have speed. An unnamed (Bolt d’Oro – Beholder) filly is the fourth foal from Beholder. Mandella said the filly may not start until late summer. “She does look like she can run some,” he said. Mysticism (War Front) is a fast-working filly nearing her debut; Flynn’s Chance (Medaglia d’Oro) also is close to her debut. “The whole bunch look like they can run,” Mandella said. John Sadler: The colt Pony Express (Gun Runner) and filly Thermal rank among Sadler’s top early prospects. Sadler said Pony Express is a “gorgeous horse” whose pedigree and looks hint distance. “By Gun Runner, you don’t necessarily think the shortest race, but he’s trained well and we’re not going to get in his way. He’s kind of stretchy, it looks like he’ll go on.” A colorful chestnut with a flaxen tail, Pony Express is easy to spot. Battle Cruiser (Catalina Cruiser), from the first crop sired by the Sadler-trained multiple graded stakes winner, will debut later in the season. Additional late-developing route prospects are Concord Bridge (Medaglia d’Oro) and Indispensable (Constitution). Final Boss (American Pharoah) has resumed breezing after a minor hiccup and could debut in late August. Thermal, who has generated buzz in Santa Anita works, was set for the first maiden filly race of the meet opening week, but a temperature will postpone her debut. Sadler said Thermal “looks like a good prospect” and added that the filly Mocha Grande (Uncle Mo) also “looks early.” John Shirreffs: Dr. Park has a tough act to follow. The colt is a sibling to juvenile male champion Forte. “We’re really excited about” Dr. Park, Shirreffs said. “For a colt, he’s very focused, very responsive.” Express Line (Union Rags) is a full brother to Shirreffs-trained Santa Anita Handicap winner Express Train, who won a 2-year-old maiden route by more than 14 lengths in 2019. :: Get Del Mar Clocker Reports straight from the morning workouts at the track. Available every race day.  Shirreffs said Express Line “is not quite as mature as Dr. Park, but he’s coming around quickly.” Mc Vay (Constitution), a $1.25 million yearling purchase, is a work in progress. Shirreffs does not typically put blinkers on young horses, but made an exception with Mc Vay. Shirreffs equipped him with cheater blinkers in the morning, and said, “It’s made a lot of difference.” Gate to Paradise is an exciting filly Mike Smith has been working. Shirreffs said Gate to Paradise “is one of those 2-year-olds that has the ability to lengthen her stride. When you watch her work, she looks like she’s just galloping.” Ashley (Into Mischief) is a filly with speed. She could debut in early summer. Just for Fun (Justify) posted the same work times as Ashley in team drills, but Ashley went easier. Shirreffs said Just for Fun is still “just a little immature.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.