Instagrand vs. Owning in Best Pal Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – Instagrand was all the rage before his first start, and he delivered the most-impressive maiden 2-year-old victory to date on this circuit, a 10-length romp June 29 at Los Alamitos that produced a Beyer Speed Figure of 88.

He’ll seek to retain his position atop the leaderboard Saturday at Del Mar in the Grade 2, $200,000 Best Pal Stakes, a six-furlong race that drew only five runners and that looks like a match race on paper.

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Instagrand drew the rail. Alongside him is Owning, who also won on debut at Los Alamitos, earning a Beyer Figure of 75. Both had good speed in their debuts and figure to be prominent right from the start Saturday.

“The rail isn’t ideal, but with a short field hopefully it won’t matter,” Jerry Hollendorfer, who trains Instagrand, said at his Del Mar barn Thursday morning. “We do have good speed.”

Indeed, Instagrand, by Into Mischief, has had speed throughout his brief career. He flashed it training at Gulfstream in March and ended up being purchased out of the Fasig-Tipton sale there for $1.2 million by Larry Best’s OXO Equine, and in his first start he set all the fractions when winning going five furlongs.

“We thought he was a good horse going in and he ran very well,” Hollendorfer said. “He’s done very well since that race.”

Owning might not be as quick as Instagrand, but he got the better of the draw.

“I like the fact we’re outside the favorite,” said Simon Callaghan, who trains Owning for Paul Reddam. “He seems to be training really well here. He seems to have made some progression since then. He’s done everything we’ve asked.”

Owning, by Flashback, won going 5 1/2 furlongs in his first start July 8. His speed that day was a pleasant surprise for Callaghan.

“In the mornings his moves had been more workmanlike, so the fact he broke as sharp as he did and was forwardly placed was a bit of a surprise,” Callaghan said. “He’s not flashy in the mornings, but he definitely has progressed.”

As with Instagrand, Owning was purchased as a 2-year-old in training, exiting the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. sale in April for $260,000.

There are three others in the race.

Sparky Ville beat maidens in his second start June 9 at Santa Anita, improving on a debut in which he broke poorly. Gary Stevens, who rode him in his second start, has a return call for trainer Jeff Bonde.

Mason Dixon rallied to beat a high-priced maiden-claiming field here in his first start July 21. He gets the meet’s leading rider, Flavien Prat.

Synthesis is still winless after three starts, but was third behind Sparky Ville in his second start June 9 and most recently chased the promising Hollendorfer-trained colt Rowayton when finishing fourth here July 21.

Because of the small field, the Best Pal will be run as race 3 on the 10-race card.