O'Neill trainees highlight Best Pal

A trio of Doug O'Neill-conditioned juveniles headlines a field of eight in

the $150,000 Best Pal S. (G2) at Del Mar on Sunday.

GREAT HUNTER (Aptitude) has placed no worse than second in three career

starts and comes off a runner-up finish in the Hollywood Juvenile Championship

S.

(G3) on July 4. The dark bay will carry a 119-pound impost including jockey Corey Nakatani.

Among the rivals that Great Hunter will face is fellow O'Neill trainee STELLA'S POSADA (Star of Valor), who comes off a 7 1/4-length

trouncing of allowance rivals last out. Three back, the chestnut gelding ran third in the Willard L. Proctor Memorial S. in his first start for O'Neill

after breaking his maiden by seven lengths at first asking for then trainer

David la Croix. David Cohen will have the call. The O'Neill pack also contains

COBALT BLUE (Golden Missile), who was a neck victor against maiden rivals in his

first outing.

The trio will face a group which includes two others who broke their maidens

in their only starts to date -- PRINCIPLE SECRET (Sea of Secrets) and DIVIDE AND

CONQUER (Mr. Greeley).

The complete field, in post parade order, is MR. NEGOTIATOR (Stormin Fever),

Jon Court, 117; Great Hunter; Stella's Posada, 117; HOT FLAME (Flame Thrower),

David Flores, 119; Principle Secret, Alex Solis, 119; STORMELLO (Stormy

Atlantic), Victor Espinoza, 119; Divide and Conquer, Norberto Arroyo Jr., 119;

and Cobalt Blue, Martin Garcia, 119.