Early Encore © Benoit Photo

The Graduation Stakes, a race with an extended history at Del Mar and one of its eight Golden State Series races for the summer of ’26, will be up for grabs Friday afternoon when seven youngsters meet the starter for Race 7 on an eight-race program. Post time should be approximately 5 p.m.

This will be the 75th edition of the five and a half furlong test and it has lured seven juveniles for the sprint with a $100,000 incentive and a bit of black type to go along with it.

Notably, all seven of the runners have already won a race. Notably, too, a colt who has run only once is likely to be the one they all have to beat. That horse is Desert Sun Stables and U Racing Stables’ Early Encore, a son of the Gun Runner stallion Early Voting who won for fun in his racing debut on May 24 at Santa Anita, scoring in eased-up fashion for jockey Joel Rosario and trainer John Sadler as the odds-on choice.

Those connections are back again for the bay who has been training in fine fashion for his return to action, including a bullet four-furlong drill at Del Mar on July 18 in a very rapid :46.20.

Chief threat to the top colt is likely to be Reddam Racing’s homebred Net Par, a gray by Pavel who was a smart winner of a straight maiden affair on opening day of the current meet under leading jock Juan Hernandez. Trainer Antonio Garcia has booked Hernandez back for the ride Friday and they’ll come away from the inside post.

First post Friday, as per usual, is 2 p.m.