Juveniles have days in the sun

Freshman sires will be showcased aplenty at this Del Mar meeting, and they include Officer, Johannesburg, Came Home, and Mizzen Mast. Del Mar regulars will fondly remember the exploits of Officer, who romped to victories in the 2001 Del Mar Futurity and Best Pal Stakes. He has transmitted his brilliant speed to his offspring and currently leads all freshman sires with six winners. Johannesburg, the 2-year-old champion who defeated Officer in the 2001 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, is also doing well, with five juvenile winners.

Statebred races for 2-year-olds will continue to feature stallions known for imparting speed to their runners, such as Bertrando, In Excess, Swiss Yodeler, Salt Lake, Formal Gold, Roar, Old Topper, Cee's Tizzy, and Souvenir Copy. Del Mar cards two stakes for California-bred fillies (the CTBA Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on July 21 and the Generous Portion on Aug. 30 at six furlongs) and two stakes for California-bred colts (the Graduation Stakes on July 26 at 5 1/2 furlongs and the I'm Smokin Stakes on Sept. 4 at six furlongs).

The Sorrento Stakes (Aug. 5) and Del Mar Debutante (Sept. 4) are the star attractions for 2-year-old fillies, while the Best Pal (Aug. 13) and the closing-day feature, the Del Mar Futurity (Sept. 6), are the main goals for 2-year-old colts.

Of particular interest is an unnamed filly Bob Hess trains for Arizona Diamondbacks players Eric Byrnes, Craig Counsell, and Luis Gonzalez. By a champion sprinter and successful stallion, Smoke Glacken, the filly is out of the Ghazi mare Sarah's Victress. Her female family produced the 1976 Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner, Bold Forbes, as well as Nellie Morse, who defeated males in the 1924 Preakness Stakes and became a foundation mare for Calumet Farm.

Craig Dollase has Monterey Jazz, a colt from first-crop sire Thunderello, who inherited the speed of his sire, Montbrook. A stakes winner at 3, Thunderello ran second to sprint champion Orientate in the 2002 Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Always armed with well-bred juveniles, trainer Richard Mandella has a Gone West colt who is a half-brother to major stakes winner and sire Golden Missile (A.P. Indy). Named Just Julian, he should have more speed than Golden Missile and be effective on turf as well as dirt.

Dan Hendricks, who developed Brother Derek into one of the best of his generation, also has some promising juveniles, headed by recent winner Holy Lark, a Holy Bull colt who, not surprisingly, came to life on turf.

Trainer Bob Baffert, always a towering presence at Del Mar, declined to reveal the group of 2-year-olds he is expected to start at the meet.

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