Havnameltdown sweeps to Best Pal win

DEL MAR, Calif. - Cave Rock in a maiden race on Saturday. Havnameltdown in the Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes on Sunday.

Two wins in two days for jockey Juan Hernandez gave the leading rider at the Del Mar meeting two important wins with juveniles for trainer Bob Baffert over the weekend, and sets up a potential tricky decision on which of them to ride in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 11, should those colts advance to that race.

Cave Rock earned a massive 101 Beyer Speed Figure from his six-length win in a maiden race. Havnameltdown remained unbeaten in two starts with a front-running win in the Best Pal Stakes at six furlongs.

Havnameltdown led narrowly over 28-1 Man Child after a quarter-mile in 21.87 seconds and widened his advantage to a length after a half-mile in 44.87.

“My plan was to break and get outside and see what the inside horses do,” Hernandez said. “He broke really sharp and wanted to go to the front.”

:: DRF Bets members get FREE DRF Past Performances - Formulator or Classic. Join now!

In early stretch, Hernandez sensed that Havnameltdown’s momentum had paused, leading the rider to use his whip.

“As soon as I hit him, he went away,” Hernandez said. “He’s a good horse. He handled the pressure.”

Sent off favored, Havnameltdown ($3) ran six furlongs in 1:10.22 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 81. Havnameltdown was Hernandez’s third win of the 10-race card. He won the final race for his first four-win day since May 28 at Santa Anita.

Agency (9-1) closed from fourth to finish second, 5 3/4 lengths in front of Man Child. Agency had not raced since a win in a maiden special weight race at Santa Anita on June 12. Mike Smith rode Agency, a late replacement for Tyler Baze, who took off his mounts for the week for personal reasons.

Smith had Agency within a few lengths of Havnameltdown in early stretch, but could not get closer to the winner.

“I thought I had it, but Bob’s horse took off,” Smith said. “He had a lot left.”

Pop d’Oro finished fourth, followed by Jin Tong, Fleet Feet, Mardukas, Arman, King Adrock and Quagmire Magic.

Kangaroo Court was scratched earlier on Sunday.

Havnameltdown, a colt by Uncaptured, was purchased for $200,000 at a 2-year-olds in-training sale and races for Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. Havnameltdown won his debut in a maiden special weight race at five furlongs at Del Mar on July 24.

Pegram, Watson and Weitman also own Cave Rock.