Best Pal Stakes (gr. II) winner Alberts Hope heads a field of 11 juveniles in the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity (gr. I) on Sept. 4, closing day of the 2013 summer stand at the Southern California track..
The seven-furlong Del Mar Futurity on Polytrack is the eighth of 10 on the final card of the season, with a scheduled post time of 5:40 p.m. PDT.
Trained by Mike Puype for Jaam Racing, Alberts Hope, a Kentucky-bred son of Run Away and Hide , is unbeaten in two starts. The $40,000 Barretts yearling won the 6 1/2-furlong Best Pal at Del Mar by half a length as the 5-2 favorite on Aug. 4. He came from slightly off the pace with a four-wide move, getting the lead near mid-stretch and holding on well for victory.
Alberts Hope graduated in his debut July 14 at Betfair Hollywood Park at odds of 33-1.
The gelding has worked smartly three times since his Best Pal win, including a half-mile drill in :47 1/5 Aug. 30. Alonso Quinonez retains the mount, and they will break from post 5 with co-high weight of 122 pounds.
Also exiting the Best Pal are the narrowly denied runner-up Celtic Moon for trainer Peter Miller, third-place Guns Loaded for trainer Cody Autrey, the Mike Harrington-trained Alpine Luck (fifth), and Skydreamin (sixth). Skydreamin, winner of the Hollywood Juvenile Championship July 13, was off slowly in the Best Pal and adds blinkers for trainer Jeff Bonde.
California Chrome comes off a victory in the Graduation Stakes for California-breds July 31 for trainer Art Sherman.
Alpine Luck and California Chrome also carry 122 pounds.
Can the Man , Dance With Fate, Rum Point, Tamarando , and Indexical all come into the Futurity off maiden scores at Del Mar.
$300,000 Del Mar Futurity (gr. I, Race 8, 5:40 p.m.), 2YOs, 7 Furlongs (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Skydreamin (KY), A Delgadillo, 120, J Bonde
2. Can the Man (KY), M Garcia, 118, B Baffert
3. Dance With Fate (FL), R Bejarano, 118, P Eurton
4. Celtic Moon (FL), G K Gomez, 118, P Miller
5. Alberts Hope (KY), A Quinonez, 122, M Puype
6. Alpine Luck (CA), G L Stevens, 122, M Harrington
7. Rum Point (KY), P A Valenzuela, 118, D F O'Neill
8. California Chrome (CA), A Delgado, 122, A Sherman
9. Guns Loaded (FL), J Talamo, 118, C Autrey
10. Tamarando (CA), J R Leparoux, 118, J Hollendorfer
11. Indexical (KY), M Gutierrez, 118, B D Cecil
Blinkers On: Skydreamin
Alberts Hope won the Best Pal at Del Mar by half a length on Aug. 4.
Benoit Photography