Brant even-money in Baffert-laden Del Mar Futurity

Eighteen-time Del Mar Futurity (G1) winner Bob Baffert aims to corner the market in Sunday’s $300,000 renewal by amassing both quantity and quality. The Hall of Fame trainer has four of the six entrants, led by the even-money favorite on the morning line, Brant, and Best Pal (G3) romper Desert Gate. 

As a result, Del Mar will not offer place or show wagering on the Futurity. The seven-furlong affair is also placed earlier on the card, as the fourth race, with a post time of 6:06 p.m. ET.

Brant, purchased for an OBS March record of $3 million, began to repay that investment by dominating his career debut here July 26. The Zedan Racing Stables runner tracked the pace and powered away by 5 1/4 lengths. Flavien Prat flies out west to retain the mount on the Gun Runner colt. But Brant must progress better than his three-quarter Pappacap, who lost his perfect record when fourth in the 2021 Del Mar Futurity. 

The form of Brant’s maiden has worked out very well. Stablemate Balboa, who vied on the front end before tiring to third, rebounded with a vengeance. Wheeling back on Aug. 10, the $875,000 son of Not This Time again showed speed but drew off to a 7 3/4-length decision. The fourth-placer from Brant’s maiden, Intrepido, also returned to break his maiden convincingly for Jeff Mullins.

In light of this emerging pattern, the runner-up behind Brant that day, the Doug O’Neill-trained Civil Liberty, is eligible to improve a bundle in their Del Mar Futurity rematch. The well-named colt is from the first crop of the Constitution stallion Independence Hall.

But the most accomplished contender is the 2-for-2 Desert Gate, an Omaha Beach colt who breezed home by 8 3/4 lengths in the Best Pal. Leading rider Juan Hernandez maintains his partnership with Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman’s colorbearer. The “Three Amigos,” as they’re called, have campaigned four of Baffert’s Del Mar Futurity winners, including champion Lookin at Lucky (2009). Pegram was also the sole owner of Icecoldbeeratreds (2002).

Desert Gate is drawn in post 5, flanked on the outside by stablemate Litmus Test. A son of champion Nyquist, the 2015 Del Mar Futurity hero who ultimately won the Kentucky Derby (G1), Litmus Test was more workmanlike than flashy in his victorious debut on Aug. 16. 

Like fellow Baffert trainee Balboa, Litmus Test is an $875,000 yearling acquisition by the “Avengers.” Their ownership consortium is spearheaded by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables, responsible so far for two of Baffert’s Futurity winners. Both of their 2025 hopes pick up new riders – Kazushi Kimura on Balboa and Tyler Gaffalione on Litmus Test. 

O’Neill, a two-time Futurity winner with Nyquist and champion Stevie Wonderboy (2005), is the only other trainer represented. While Civil Liberty is his principal hope, he also has the maiden Brigante, a distant third behind Desert Gate in the Best Pal. Brigante will break from the rail, just to the inside of heavy favorite Brant.

Later on the closing day card, the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf (G3) (ninth race at 8:41 p.m. ET) proved to be far more popular at the entry box. An overflow field of 15 promising youngsters is engaged, including one also-eligible. 

Undefeated Hey Nay Nay rates as the lukewarm 4-1 favorite after a seven-length rout of the Tyro S. at Monmouth Park. The John Sadler pupil has scored both of his wins over five grassy furlongs, and he’ll try to carry his speed over a mile here. 

The same question is posed to the Mullins-trained Proletariat, a son of freshman sire Raging Bull, who won a turf sprint maiden. Leonard Powell’s recent French recruit, Caro Buono, has yet to race beyond about six furlongs, but the Zelzal colt beat a future listed winner in his conditions race victory at Lyon Parilly. 

Several likely contenders have experience at the trip. Phil D’Amato’s Irish import Later Than Planned rolled to a maiden win in his course-and-distance stateside debut. In his only prior start at the Curragh, he was second to the talented Ipanema Queen. Michael McCarthy’s Love the Pressure just wired a Cal-restricted maiden over slow-starting Oracle of Paradise. 

Baffert has a shot at the stakes double with Plutarch, a staying-on second in his unveiling on dirt (to the aforementioned Intrepido). By leading sire Into Mischief and out of champion Stellar Wind, the Coolmore homebred takes the blinkers off while switching surfaces here. O’Neill has no fewer than four chances, notably course-and-distance maiden winner Won for Lou and Classico, a troubled third to Later Than Planned last out. 

Dirty Rich has to answer several questions at once, in the wake of his romp in a $150,000 maiden claimer sprinting on the dirt for Peter Miller.