Maiden sprint just a starting point for Gum Tree Lane

DEL MAR, Calif. - Gum Tree Lane will have his career debut in a maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Saturday. That may be Gum Tree Lane’s only appearance in a one-turn race for the foreseeable future.

“We’re intently looking to stretch him out down the road,” trainer Phil D’Amato said on Thursday. “I think his biggest asset is he’s got a big, long stride and a great airway. He seems to get better with distance.”

Owned by Michael House, Gum Tree Lane, a ridgling by He’s Had Enough, was purchased for $320,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. auction of 2-year-olds in training in April. Gum Tree Lane was based in Kentucky until early July when he joined D’Amato’s stable.

In recent weeks, jockey Flavien Prat has worked Gum Tree Lane, D’Amato said. Prat has the mount on Saturday.

“He trains like an older horse,” D’Amato said. “He’s been pretty tactical in the morning. He gallops out a mile and Flavien said he can’t get him tired.

“He’s ready to run and this will kick us off.”

Gum Tree Lane is part of a field of eight in race 5 that includes three-first time starters. Of the runners with race experience, Surprise Fashion had the best result – a third in an $80,000 maiden claimer on Aug. 4.

Much Better, a Pioneerof the Nile colt, will break from the outside in his debut. Trained by Bob Baffert, Much Better is out of Dust and Diamonds, a three-time stakes winner who earned $496,226. Baffert cautioned on Thursday that the start will benefit Much Better.

“I think he’ll need it,” he said.

Baffert was more optimistic about his chances in the second division of the maiden special weight, the ninth race. He starts Admiral Brown, by Malibu Moon, and Magic On Tap, by Tapit. He said Magic On Tap “is probably the most forward” of the maidens running on Saturday.

Magic On Tap is out of Aubby K, who won the Grade 1 Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs in 2013.

Admiral Brown is a half-brother to Firing Line, who was second to American Pharoah in the 2015 Kentucky Derby.

Those runners face Extra Hope, a fast-closing second in a maiden special weight race at 5 1/2 furlongs in his debut on Aug. 4 for trainer Richard Mandella.