Game Winner gives Baffert 14th victory in Del Mar Futurity

DEL MAR, Calif. – No one had more success with his 2-year-olds this summer than trainer Bob Baffert, who truly had strength in numbers. That was never more in evidence than on Monday, when he won the closing-day Del Mar Futurity with Game Winner, who was the second choice to his other runner, odds-on favorite Roadster.

Roadster and Game Winner were among the 11 2-year-olds who won maiden races for Baffert here this summer, and they were the top two choices among six entrants in the Grade 1, $300,345 Futurity. Roadster was favored at 7-10 off his runaway victory on July 29, but it was Game Winner – coming back just 16 days after his impressive debut Aug. 18 – who proved best, as he ran down pacesetter Rowayton to prevail by 1 1/2 lengths and give Baffert his record 14th win in the Futurity in the last 23 runnings.

Rowayton held second, a half-length in front of third-place Roadster, then came Sigalert, Spin Lightning, and Sparky Ville. Savagery was scratched earlier in the day.

Game Winner ($5.20) completed seven furlongs on the fast main track in 1:23.18.

Both of Baffert’s colts were doing well, and he thought it best to run both. It’s a problem he often has – a nice one to be sure – and any owner who signs up knows they may have to run against another horse from the barn.

“If they’re doing well, I throw them in,” Baffert said. It’s an equal-opportunity barn.”

Baffert’s concern with Game Winner was the quick turnaround.

“I hated to run him back quickly. I told Gary,” he said, referring to Gary West, who owns Game Winner with his wife, Mary, “that he had to work well and draw well.”

Both boxes got filled in. Game Winner on Wednesday worked five furlongs in 59.60 seconds, the best of 33 at the distance, and then he drew the outside post for the seven-furlong race, an ideal spot in such a small field.

It was Rowayton who sped off to the lead, with Roadster and Game Winner in closest attendance. Rowayton opened a four-length lead through the opening quarter in 22.53 seconds, and was still up by 4 1/2 lengths after a half in 45.35 seconds.

“I thought the other horse might steal it,” Baffert said. “You get out there on this track, you can steal it.”

Game Winner and Roadster slowly began to close on Rowayton, who began to tire nearing the furlong pole while still holding the lead. Game Winner, under Mario Gutierrez, reeled him in, but Roadster could not finish off the race as well as Baffert hoped.

“He flattened out. Disappointing,” Baffert said.

Game Winner, by contrast, was perfectly fine coming back a little more than two weeks following his first race.

“He’s a big, strong, heavy horse,” Baffert said. “I’d rather run him another time sprinting than just work him up to a two-turn race.”

Two turns will be next for Game Winner, most likely the Grade 1 American Pharoah – formerly the FrontRunner, before that the Norfolk – going 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Sept. 29.

“You have to carry on, go to the next level,” Baffert said.

Game Winner is a colt by Candy Ride. The Wests purchased him as a yearling for $110,000. They’re already out. He earned $180,000 on Monday and now has career earnings of $216,000.