Run Away © Benoit Photo
Del Mar’s 78th summer season of Thoroughbred racing comes to an end Monday, Labor Day, with presentation of a stakes triple-header, including the Grade I $300,000 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs for the top two-year-olds in the West.
Supporting features on the ten-race program which begins at 2 p.m. are the $75,000 C.E.R.F. Stakes for older fillies and mares at six furlongs and the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf at one mile over the infield Jimmy Durante Turf Course.
Kaleem Shah’s Run Away, unbeaten in three starts, including an impressive triumph in the Best Pal Stakes, is the likely favorite under Flavien Prat. The son of Run Away and Hide, who also won the Santa Anita Juvenile in early July, will be trying to give his owner a second straight Futurity victory, Shah’s Klimt having won the race a year ago.
Run Away will be encountering formidable opposition in the Futurity. Trainer Bob Baffert, a 13-time Futurity winner, will send out two strong contenders in Soul Streit and Zatter, both of whom were sharp in maiden wins. Mike Smith rides Soul Streit, while Rafael Bejarano has the call on Zatter.
Also certain to draw support is Tatters to Riches, a maiden victor July 29. Tyler Baze rides for trainer Jeff Mullins. Others in the Futurity field are Master Ruler, Evin Roman; Fleetwood, Kent Desormeaux; Bold d’Oro, Corey Nakatani; Gracida, Victor Espinoza, and Dia de Pago, runner-up in the Best Pal who will have Santiago Gonzalez aboard.
Fourteen will tangle in the Juvenile Fillies – Dawn Traveler, Medaglia Gold, Scat Home Lady, Unstablenthemornin, Holy Diver, Multiplayer, Camino Song, Klosters, Thisoleheartofmine, Bonneville Flatsa, Terra’s Angel, Streetwithnoname, Navajo Dream and One Fast Broad, with Lemon Crush an also-eligible.
Nine are entered in the C.E.R.F. Stakes – Vai, Noted and Quoted, Miss Sunset, Lunar Express, Classy Tune, Bad Ju Ju, Cuddle Alert, Rockport Babe and Bitzka.