The Thoroughbred Corp.'s Kafwain, a two-year-old stablemate of Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem, earned the first stakes victory of his brief career with a come-from-behind triumph in the featured $150,000 Best Pal Stakes (gr. III) at Del Mar on Wednesday. With Victor Espinoza in the saddle, Kafwain overhauled Icecoldbeeratreds, his odds-on favored stablemate from the barn of trainer Bob Baffert, turning into the stretch and ran steadily to the wire in winning by a length. Chief Planner, another juvenile in the race from Baffert's barn, closed well to be second, a length in front of the fast-finishing Outta Here. Red Apache was fourth in the field of seven two-year-old colts and geldings. Luzern and Vindication were scratches from the sprint. Kafwain, a son of Cherokee Run, ran the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17 flat and paid $6.80 as second choice in the betting. First money of $90,000 increased the colt's earnings to $127,458 after his second win in four starts.Bred in Kentucky by Dr. and Mrs. Smiser West, Kafwain was purchased by The Thoroughbred Corp. for $720,000 at this year's Fasig-Tipton Florida February sale of 2-year-olds in training.For Baffert, it was his third straight victory in the Best Pal Stakes, the major steppingstone to the closing-day Del Mar Futurity on Wednesday.
(Chart, Equibase)
