Drill survives eventful Del Mar Futurity

DRILL (Lawyer Ron) didn't get much respect as the 4-1 third choice in

Del Mar's closing day feature, the $250,000

Del Mar Futurity (G1), on Wednesday, but the Bob Baffert trainee

pulled out a gutsy neck win over 7-2 second pick Majestic City (City Zip) and

4-5 favorite Creative Cause (Giant's Causeway). It wasn't an easy win, either, as the

dark bay colt was knocked sideways by Creative Cause when Majestic City

ran into his gray rival.

Drill came running on the outside down the stretch, with Creative

Cause putting his best hoof forward and Majestic City to the inside of

the pair. Jockey Martin Garcia, who had the mount on Drill, lost his

whip at the top of the stretch, but that didn't stop the juvenile colt

from giving it his all.

Nearing the wire, David Flores on Majestic City

was using left-handed encouragement, causing the chestnut to veer toward

the outside. Majestic City rammed into Creative Cause, who checked

sharply but not before being forced into Drill's hindquarters.

The winner was knocked off stride hard and bounced back into Creative

Cause, but all three managed to stay on their feet, with Drill finishing

a neck in front of Majestic City, who was in turn three parts of a

length up on Creative Cause on the wire. Once the stewards reviewed the

video, Majestic City was disqualified to third for the incident and

Creative Cause elevated to second.

Gun Boat (Congrats), who led on the backstretch through splits of :23, :45

3/5 and 1:09 3/5, held for

fourth another while just a nose behind Creative Cause on the line. It was

another half-length back to Basmati (Borrego), who was followed under the wire

by Sheer Talent (Wildcat Heir), Corsa Di Cavalli (After Market) and Mighty Monsoon (Forestry).

Unlike Creative Cause and Majestic City, who were each seeking to maintain

perfect records, Drill entered the Del Mar Futurity having dropped his initial

start. The colt ran eighth in his career debut, but rebounded in a big way to

break his maiden just 14 days later by a neck while going 6 1/2 furlongs on

August 13 last out. Bred in Kentucky by Stonewall Farm Stallions, he passed

through the sales ring twice, RNAing as a Keeneland November weanling before

bringing $300,000 as a Keeneland September yearling.

Drill is out of the winning Storm Cat mare Cat Dancer, who has since produced

a yearling full brother to the Del Mar Futurity conqueror and a 2011 filly by

Strong Contender. Cat Dancer is herself a full sister to Magic Storm, heroine of

the 2002 Monmouth Oaks (G2) and placed in the 2001 runnings of the Spinaway S.

(G1) and Adirondack S. (G2).

Drill's third dam is Grade 2-placed stakes winner

Water Dance (Nijinsky II), who counts as half-siblings champion Little Current

(*Sea-Bird), victor of the 1974 Belmont S. (G1) and Preakness S. (G1); Prayers'n

Promises (Foolish Pleasure), queen of the 1980 Spinaway and Matron S. (G1); and

Darbyvail (Roberto), herself the granddam of dual classic-placed and Grade

1-scoring sire Hard Spun (Danzig).