Dr. Schivel tries to go from maiden winner to Grade 1 winner in Del Mar Futurity
After two troubled trips, Dr. Schivel cruised to a win by 5 3/4 lengths in his third race, a six-furlong maiden race at Del Mar, and straight to the fore of California’s 2-year-old division. To retain that status as summer turns to fall, Dr. Schivel must win Monday’s Grade 1 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity.
Dr. Schivel is one of only two winners in a field of six in the $250,000 Del Mar Futurity, run at seven furlongs.
A few hours before Dr. Schivel won on Aug. 8, Weston won the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at six furlongs. Weston is part of the Del Mar Futurity field, but will be overshadowed in the betting by Dr. Schivel and perhaps Spielberg, who was second to Dr. Schivel on Aug. 8.
Dr. Schivel has changed owners since his last start. Rancho Temescal and Red’s Baron Barn bought a majority share of the colt by Violence in a private deal announced last Wednesday and share ownership with Dean Reeves and co-breeder Bill Branch. Branch and Arnold Hill raced Dr. Schivel in his first three starts.
Monday, Dr. Schivel will start for trainer Luis Mendez for the final time before being transferred to Mark Glatt.
Mendez, who exercises Dr. Schivel, expects the colt to leave his barn as a Grade 1 stakes winner.
“I’m wishing big time,” he said. “I think he’s been improving. I like the way he feels. I’m excited for him.”
Dr. Schivel was third behind Weston on June 21 at Santa Anita in his debut, racing in traffic in early stretch. In his second start, which came July 4 at Los Alamitos, Dr. Schivel was steadied in the final half-mile and finished second to Sonic Brees.
Dr. Schivel was not hindered on Aug. 8. Starting from post 7 in a field of eight, he closed from fourth to take the lead in early stretch. Monday, Dr. Schivel drew the outside post, which will allow jockey Flavien Prat to stalk the pace if he wants.
“That was perfect,” Mendez said of the draw. “I’m going to be nervous on Monday.”
Prat replaces Juan Hernandez for the Del Mar Futurity at the request of the new owners.
For a graded stakes winner, Weston has something to prove. He was timed in 1:12.72 in the Best Pal, while Dr. Schivel was timed in 1:10.49 for his maiden race win.
Weston tends to run near the front. He set the pace when he won his debut on June 21 at Santa Anita and was always within a half-length of the front in the Best Pal, fighting off a stubborn challenge from Girther to win by a neck. Girther is out of training.
In the Del Mar Futurity, Weston breaks from post 3 and should dispute the pace, trainer and co-owner Ryan Hanson said.
“He seems like he’s versatile,” Hanson said. “He broke his maiden on the lead. Last time, he wasn’t comfortable, but he came from behind.
“I want him to be able to turn for home with a big chance.”
Spielberg, a $1 million yearling purchase, was 4-5 in the maiden race on Aug. 8 won by Dr. Schivel. Spielberg was within a half-length of Dr. Schivel in the stretch, but could not keep pace in the final furlong.
“I think he’ll be better,” trainer Bob Baffert said last weekend.
Baffert has won the Del Mar Futurity a record 14 times, including five of the last 10 runnings. He won the 2014 Del Mar Futurity with American Pharoah, who won the Triple Crown the following year.
In 2015, trainer Doug O’Neill won the Del Mar Futurity with Nyquist, who won the 2016 Kentucky Derby.
Monday, O’Neill runs the maiden Dixie’s Two Stents in the Del Mar Futurity. Dixie’s Two Stents was beaten a head in a five-furlong maiden race on Aug. 1, his only start.
“We think he’s a special colt,” O’Neill said. “Often times these stakes are very similar to straight maiden races. We thought he’d take a chance.”
The Del Mar Futurity is the 10th of 11 races on Monday’s final day of the summer meeting. First post time is 1 p.m. Pacific. The Southern California Thoroughbred circuit resumes with the start of the Santa Anita autumn meeting on Sept. 19.