Georgie Boy emerges from pack

DEL MAR, Calif. - Georgie Boy finished fastest to win the Del Mar Futurity on Wednesday, and he seemingly kept right on rolling Thursday, leaving by van from here early in the morning for Santa Anita, where he is scheduled to make his next start in the Grade 1 Norfolk Stakes at the Oak Tree meeting on Sept. 30.

The Futurity produced a wild finish. Thirteen 2-year-olds broke from the gate, and with 100 yards to go, six of them were abreast. Georgie Boy proved best, defeating the previously unbeaten Salute the Sarge and favored Drill Down in a thrilling running of the Grade 1, $250,000 race that highlighted the closing-day card.

Georgie Boy ($13.60) knifed between horses at two critical points from the quarter pole to the wire and beat Salute the Sarge by a half-length, with Drill Down another nose back in third. Leonides, Dixie Chatter, and Kanan Dune were right there, too, in a roughly run race that found the first six finishers separated by less than two lengths.

Under jockey Garrett Gomez, Georgie Boy was timed in 1:25.34 for seven furlongs on Polytrack. His trainer, Kathy Walsh, became the first female trainer to win the Del Mar Futurity.

Georgie Boy, a California-bred gelding by Tribal Rule, was bred and is owned by his namesake, George Schwary. He has won twice in five starts, his previous victory coming against Cal-breds in the Graduation Stakes here on July 25. He had most recently finished second to Salute the Sarge in the Best Pal Stakes on Aug. 12.

Georgie Boy was 12th in the 13-horse field down the backstretch, then Gomez had to pick his way through traffic at the quarter pole and at midstretch. Both times, he got through, and then Georgie Boy finished with a rush in the final furlong.

"He's a big colt," Gomez said. "I tried to get him into a nice, smooth rhythm."

Good Man Dan and Whatever Whenever led early and then faded, but there were several horses clumped together behind them, crying for room from the half-mile pole to the top of the stretch. Salute the Sarge had nowhere to go around the turn, got beat to a spot by Drill Down turning into the stretch, then wheeled out and finished with courage between horses, only to get nailed late by Georgie Boy. It was his first loss after three wins.

Drill Down also did not have a clear run until late, and went evenly in the final yards while hugging the rail.

Drill Down is expected to race next in the Norfolk against Georgie Boy, but Salute the Sarge will be heading to Keeneland for the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity on Oct. 6, according to his trainer, Eric Guillot.

Wednesday's card also featured a massive two-day pick six carryover of $993,898. Since it was closing day, all money bet Wednesday, plus the carryover, was subject to a mandatory payout. That perfect storm produced a single-day pick six handle of $5,063,435, yielding a total pool of $6,057,333, obliterating the previous Del Mar pick six record pool of $3,555,771 set Aug. 15, 1998.

There were 68 winning tickets, each worth $55,964.

* Also Wednesday, Theverythoughtof U ($7.60) scored a one-length victory over Sindy With an S in the $97,960 CERF Handicap for female sprinters. Joe Talamo rode Theverythoughtof U, who was timed in 1:11.75 for six furlongs on Polytrack. Ron Ellis trains Theverythoughtof U for Mace and Samantha Siegel's Jay Em Ess Stable.

* Double Action ($15.60), a 3-year-old facing five elders, nosed out favored Relato Del Gato after a spirited stretch-long duel to take the $90,890 Pirate's Bounty Handicap, a restricted stakes for sprinters. Double Action, ridden by Michael Baze, completed six furlongs on Polytrack in 1:12.04. Jerry Hollendorfer trains Double Action for a partnership headed by Jim Ford.