Six talented two-year-olds, all of them aiming for the Grade I $300,000 Del Mar Futurity on closing day, Labor Day Monday, Sept. 5, will be showcased Saturday in the Grade II $200,000 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar.

 

Hoping to follow the path of champions California Chrome, American Pharoah and Nyquist, all of whom participated in the Del Mar Futurity  - California Chrome was sixth in 2013, while American Pharoah and Nyquist won-  will be Secret House, Rinse and Repeat, Drafted, Thirstforlife, Klimt and Big League, lightly-raced but possessing obvious ability.

 

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, a 12-time Futurity winner, will send out Klimt, a Quality Road colt who won his first race on his second try, running 5 ½ furlongs in 1:03 1/5 at Santa Anita July 10. Rafael Bejarano has the call.

 

Doug O’Neill, who trained Nyquist to win the Best Pal a year ago, has two entrants Saturday in Secret House, fourth in the Santa Anita Juvenile after breaking his maiden easily, and Rinse and Repeat, a Cal-bred maiden winner at Del Mar July 16. Santiago Gonzalez rides Secret House, while Mario Gutierrez will pilot Rinse and Repeat.

 

Gary Stevens rides Drafted, unplaced in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Ascot in mid-June after breaking his maiden at Keeneland; Joe Talamo will be aboard Thirstforlife, a 6 ½-length maiden winner at Churchill Downs in early June,  while Norberto Arroyo, Jr., has the mount on Big League, who scored by 3 ¼ lengths July 30.