Skyway has final work before Del Mar Futurity

DEL MAR, Calif. – Skyway has been the star of trainer Mark Casse’s stable in California this year, highlighted by a win Aug. 3 in the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar. He could be the circuit’s star 2-year-old after the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 3.

Owned by John Oxley, Skyway is expected to be favored in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity run over seven furlongs. On Sunday, Skyway had his final workout before the race, going five furlongs in 1:00.40.

“I thought it was a good work,” Casse said. “I didn’t want to do a whole lot when he gets so close.”

The Best Pal Stakes was run over 6 1/2 furlongs, and Casse is optimistic that Skyway can handle an additional 110 yards of racing in the Del Mar Futurity.

“I think he’ll like it,” Casse said. “He’s a horse that you have to gather up. He wants to run into the bit. I think at seven-eighths we’ll be better."

Stewart Elliott rode Skyway in the Best Pal and will have the mount in the Del Mar Futurity. Elliott suffered a fractured rib when kicked by a horse during training hours Aug. 11 and returns to riding Wednesday.

The Del Mar Futurity field is expected to include Bench Warrant, Calculator, Henry’s Holiday, Holiday Camp, Iron Fist, Lord Nelson, Red Button, and Wildling.

Casse plans to start Conquest Eclipse, a maiden race winner at Churchill Downs in June, in the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante for 2-year-old fillies next Saturday.

The race is led by Sunset Glow, who won the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes on Aug. 6. The competition will include Her Emmynency, Manahatta, Seduire, Starlet O’Hara, and Stealth Drone.

The Del Mar meeting ends Sept. 3. Casse said Sunday he plans to have a 25-horse stable at Santa Anita this fall and a smaller stable at Fairplex Park in Pomona.

“We’ll try to keep around 40 out here for a long time,” he said.