Getaway Car Eludes the Field in Best Pal Stakes
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Getaway Car wins the Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar
Perhaps Taylor Swift was wrong.
Her song "Getaway Car" opens with the declaration, "No, nothin' good starts in a getaway car." But the colt named after the song might change her opinion. And with more starts like the Aug. 11 Best Pal Stakes (G3) at Del Mar, maybe Getaway Car will have throngs of admirers singing his praises down the road.
Living up to his name, the 2-year-old son of Curlin bolted out of the starting gate and made easy work of the other three runners lined up with him, winning by 5 1/2 lengths.
"It's a cool name because that's the way he runs," said trainer Bob Baffert. "He just gets away from there. He goes; he has a lot of natural speed. He has a beautiful way of moving. His maiden here was very impressive and today was very impressive.
"He was bred to go distance so he should get better with age."
Owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital, and Catherine Donovan, the dark brown colt improves to 2-0-0 from two starts. He won his maiden over the same track in a similar gate-to-wire fashion, reaching the wire 3 1/4 lengths ahead of his nearest foe. He's earned $135,000.
With Juan Hernandez, who entered the day with a comfortable lead as the Del Mar meet's leading rider, Getaway Car posted fractional times of :22.20, :45.77, and :57.77. He closed out the six furlongs in 1:10.73.
Mischief River , White Sands , and Tiz Happy rounded out the order of finish. Getaway Car paid $2.60 on a $2 win ticket.
Baffert said the Sept. 8 $300,000 Del Mar Futurity (G1) is the nearest target for his pupil with perhaps a return to Del Mar in November for the Breeders' Cup.
"If the Futurity comes up, it'll be the next obvious spot for him if all goes well," said Baffert. "We're looking to get a few more in between now and (Breeders' Cup)."
Bred in Kentucky by Blue Heaven Farm and Curlin Syndicate, Getaway Car has hit the sales ring twice. Most recently he was purchased for $700,000 by SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables out of the Gainesway consignment at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The year before, he was a $300,000 purchase by FMQ Stables at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale out of the Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency consignment.
Getaway Car is out of the Morning Line mare Surrender Now. Curlin stood the 2024 season for $250,000 at Hill 'n' Dale Farms near Paris, Ky.