Alberts Hope, Celtic Moon Rematch on Tap for Del Mar Futurity
Image:
Description:
Alberts Hope edged Celtic Moon to win the Best Pal Stakes on Aug 4. at Del Mar. A rematch between the top two finishers highlights the Del Mar Futurity on Wednesday, closing day at Del Mar. (Benoit & Associates photo)
By Jack Shinar
Best Pal Stakes winner Alberts Hope heads a field of 11 juveniles in the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity 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 8:40 p.m. ET.
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-to-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 (outside) AND CELTIC MOON IN BEST PAL
Benoit & Associates photo
Alberts Hope graduated in his debut July 14 at Betfair Hollywood Park at odds of 33-to-1.
The gelding has worked smartly three times since his Best Pal win, including a half-mile drill in :47 1/5 on 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
Wednesday, Del Mar, Race 8, 8:40 p.m. ET
2-year-olds, 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