FrontRunner outcome key to Ayacara's future

ARCADIA, Calif. – Ayacara is proven on dirt, with a maiden race win at a mile at Del Mar in his second start on Aug. 25. Whether he has a future in stakes on dirt or will be switched to turf will be better known after Saturday’s Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on dirt at Santa Anita.

The winner of the FrontRunner receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar on Nov. 4. Ayacara is owned by Charles Marquis and trained by Keith Desormeaux, who may consider sending him to the BC Juvenile Turf on Nov. 3, pending Saturday’s outcome.

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“He’s training great,” Desormeaux said on Wednesday. “The only thing getting at me a little is he’s got a strong bottom side on grass. We’ll give him his shot. If he doesn’t excel, we know where he goes next.”

Bred in Great Britain, Ayacara is by Violence and is out of Pacifica Highway, by Pulpit. Pacifica Highway did not race, but her dam, Ballet Pacifica, finished third in turf stakes at Arlington Park and Chantilly, France, in 2006.

Ayacara finished a well-beaten fourth on dirt in his debut on July 29, but rebounded to win by a neck on Aug. 25, closing from sixth in a field of eight.

Desormeaux has been in this position before. Texas Red won a one-mile maiden race at Del Mar in August 2014 and was third in the Grade 1 FrontRunner before winning the BC Juvenile at Santa Anita.

Texas Red lost the FrontRunner to American Pharoah, who later won the 2015 Triple Crown.

On Saturday, Ayacara’s leading rival is Bolt d’Oro, the winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs on Sept. 4.

“He’ll be tough to beat,” Desormeaux said.

There are four other Grade 1 races at Santa Anita with automatic berths to the winner for Breeders’ Cup races.

Desormeaux has Motown Lady for the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles, a prep for the BC Distaff on Nov. 3. Cupid, winner of the Gold Cup at Santa Anita on May 27, is part of the field for the Awesome Again Stakes at 1 1/8 miles. The winner receives a fees-paid berth for the BC Classic on Nov. 4.

Moonshine Memories, who won the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 2, will start at 1 1/16 miles for the first time in the Chandelier Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. The winner has a berth in the BC Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 4.

The Rodeo Drive Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf for fillies and mares is a prep for the BC Filly and Mare Turf. Avenge, who won the 2016 Rodeo Drive and was third in the BC Filly and Mare Turf, is part of Saturday’s field.