Three juveniles impress on Friday card

DEL MAR, Calif. – In a little less than three hours at Del Mar on Friday, three 2-year-olds won in ways that suggest they will play important roles in stakes in the final week of the summer meeting.

You’re Late won her stakes debut in Friday’s $98,000 California Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Stakes for California-bred fillies. With Honors won her career debut in a maiden race on turf for fillies, and Elwood J won his debut against California-bred 2-year-olds at 5 1/2 furlongs.

You’re Late ($8.40) won the CTBA Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs by 3 1/4 lengths over 10-1 Love a Honeybadger. Ridden by Stewart Elliott, You’re Late closed from third in the field of five.

“What I liked was she was able to sit and pounce,” trainer Jeff Bonde said. “That was a new position for her, and that was our plan.”

You’re Late, by Lucky Pulpit, is likely to start in the $150,000 Generous Portion Stakes against California-bred fillies on Aug. 27 instead of the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante against open company Sept. 3. The Grade 1 Debutante could draw a tough field, Bonde said.

“There are many [fillies] that will show their faces between now and then,” Bonde said. You’re Late “has been doing good in Cal-bred races.”

Owned by Larry and Marianne Williams, You’re Late has won 2 of 3 starts and $97,320.

With Honors ($6.20) fought through a speed duel to win a one-mile race by a half-length over You Missed It. The win left trainer Keith Desormeaux considering the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf at a mile Sept. 5, and hopeful that he has a prospect for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 4.

“It’s cool to think along those lines,” Desormeaux said.

With Honors, by War Front, is owned by the Roth family’s LNJ Foxwoods, which bred the filly.

Elwood J ($9.40) is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer for Joe Turner. The gelding, by Vronsky, won his debut by 2 1/2 lengths, leading throughout. Hollendorfer was impressed to see Elwood J fight off an early threat from Yodelers Way, who finished third.

“We tried to get him used to being around other horses,” Hollendorfer said of Elwood J.

One option for the gelding is the $150,000 I’m Smokin Stakes for California-breds at six furlongs on Sept. 2. The summer meeting ends Sept. 5.