Tamarando rallies to take Del Mar Futurity

Mr. and Mrs. Larry D. Williams' homebred Tamarando came flying in the lane

to just get up on the wire for a half-length win in the Grade 1, $301,500

Del Mar

Futurity on the track's closing day card. With jockey Julien Leparoux in the

irons, the Bertrando colt finished seven Polytrack furlongs in 1:23 to pay $17.80

for the win as the seventh choice in the 11-horse field.

Tamarando took three tries to break his maiden for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer,

finally getting that elusive first victory on August 18 while going 5 1/2

furlongs at Del Mar. Prior to that, the dark bay was second at the track a month

earlier and fourth over Hollywood Park's Cushion Track in June.

"We loved this

horse at seven furlongs," Hollendorfer said. "I was thinking about running in

the (six-furlong I'm

Smokin on Monday for Cal-breds) but we decided to go for the big moment. I guess

I'm glad we did now.

"I've never won this race before, so it's a special moment and a special

horse," the Hall of Famer added. "He looks like a pretty good candidate to do something next

year. I was a little disappointed that he was as far back early as he was, but

apparently that's the way he wants to run."

Can the Man wound up a half-length farther back in third, a nose in front of

7-2 favorite Alberts Hope who was in turn a neck up on fifth-placer Guns Loaded.

California Chrome, Indexical, Alpine Luck, Rum Point, Celtic Moon and Skydreamin

completed the order of finish.

"I was in a good

position with him. I liked what was happening and I thought he'd pick it up

late. But he only ran in spots. He's still a little green. He's going to get

better," said Alonso Quinonez, who had piloting duties aboard Alberts Hope.

The California-bred Tamarando is out of the Grade 3-placed Dehere mare

Tamarack Bay, making him a half-brother to stakes winners Luckarack and U'narack

as well as stakes-placed Tamarack Smarty.

Tamarando followed in the hoofsteps of his family in taking the Del Mar

Futurity. Not only did his sire capture the 1991 edition but his third dam produced the 1993 winner of the race in Winning Pact.

That same mare also foaled Group 2 victor Half a Year and the dam of Grade 3 scorer Cat's Career.