FREE: Del Mar 2yo's

[Kasept]

Baffert's juveniles should thrive, as usual, but he's not alone
Brad Free | Jul 16, 2025

Auspicious debuts by the colt Desert Gate and filly Himika this spring at Santa Anita suggest trainer Bob Baffert’s stranglehold on California 2-year-old racing is likely to continue this summer at Del Mar.

Baffert’s 2025 juvenile roster includes at least two dozen colts purchased at auction for roughly $18 million total, with more than a dozen fillies purchased for $5 million total. No wonder Baffert has won the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity 18 times and the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante 10 times – he gets the best stock and gets the most from them.

Yet while the Baffert juggernaut will be formidable throughout the summer meet that begins on Friday, the juvenile program is not entirely a one-man show. Prospects will emerge from other stables, and the increasing number of juvenile turf races will provide feasible options to duck Baffert. This story chronicles 2-year-olds who could make some noise this summer at Del Mar, grouped by trainer.

Himika, a filly by Curlin, romped June 12 to emerge as a favorite for the Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes on Aug. 10. Desert Gate, a colt by Omaha Beach, won June 13 with an 86 Beyer Speed Figure, and he runs Aug. 9 in the Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes.

It’s been a waiting game for 2-year-old maiden winners due to the absence of California allowances and stakes.

“Unfortunately, you have to sit on them,” Baffert noted.

Although Baffert said many of his 2-year-olds are “just barely getting going,” chances are they will come around quickly. Del Mar’s first dirt race for 2-year-old males is scheduled for July 26.

Summer prospects for Baffert include Brant, a Gun Runner colt whose $3 million auction price is the year’s highest for a 2-year-old. Brant is up to a half-mile in works. Other Baffert juveniles purchased for $1 million or more include an unnamed Violence-A Taste of Red colt; an unnamed Tiz the Law-Taboo colt who is working well; and Cherokee Nation, by Not This Time. All are training up to a half-mile.

Million-dollar colts for later include Inauguration, by Nyquist, and Stellenbosch, by Tapit. Additionally, Balboa, a Not This Time colt, has posted fast work times; Falcon Jet is a colt by Justify; an unnamed Omaha Beach-Reason colt has worked five furlongs from the gate; and St. Petersburg raced greenly in his third-place debut and should improve.

Fillies trained by Baffert include Cherry Cider, a fast-working Tiz the Law product who could make her debut July 19, and Dainey, another Tiz the Law daughter who has worked well and appears to ready to start. Bottle of Rouge finished second in her debut and could make her second start soon.

Phil D’Amato

Long on turf is a D’Amato specialty. Last summer’s 2-year-old turf route winners included subsequent stakes winning-filly Thought Process and stakes-winning colt Iron Man Cal. D’Amato does not typically crank his 2-year-olds for debut victories, preferring instead to race them into shape.

His juvenile roster includes Out of the Woods, a Constitution filly produced by a stakes winner, and Zero Hour, an Omaha Beach colt whose training was interrupted by minor issue. Zero Hour has resumed galloping. Not With a Fox is a Not This Time filly with short breezes under her belt. D’Amato’s 2-year-old statebreds will come later.

“We waited late for the Cal-breds this year. If you do see any of them, you won’t see them until the end of the meet,” he said.

Mark Glatt

Juvenile fillies with promise include Confidentiality, by Complexity, and La Wally, sired by Constitution and produced by a sibling to multiple Grade 1 winner Shedaresthedevil. Glatt plans to start La Wally first, possibly July 19. Confidentiality will follow soon after.

Glatt also has a smattering of Cal-breds.

“Two or three of them are pretty decent,” he said.

Those include Imnotvanillasky, a Mr. Big filly who drew the rail for her debut on July 18. It’s a Fairlife is a Grazen sibling to two stakes winners, Coyote Café is a Grazen filly whose full sister Ellen Jorth won her debut, and Parnelli Jones is a colt by Tough Sunday.

Ryan Hanson

Hanson’s large Del Mar string includes promising Cal-bred 2-year-olds Sagunto and Olivia.

“Sagunto had a pretty good work last week, and we have a filly, Olivia, pointing to a grass race. She’s working pretty well,” Hanson said.

Sagunto, by Nyquist, is quick, according to the clocker for socalworkoutreport.com. Olivia is by War of Will. Hanson also trains Saturday, a Ghostzapper colt likely to debut in the second half of the meet.

Richard Mandella

Hopes are high for Medici, an Into Mischief colt produced by Grade 1 turf winner Avenge. Notwithstanding his dam’s affinity for turf, Mandella said Medici is “very nice, he looks like he doesn’t have to be turf.” Medici could debut early in the meet.

The fillies Bad Manners, by Into Mischief, and Bourbon and Ginger, by Bolt d’Oro, are well regarded. Bad Manners, produced by Grade 1 winner I’m a Chatterbox, is a distance prospect.

“I think she’ll need to go farther, but she’ll be ready [at Del Mar],” Mandella said.

Bourbon and Ginger, sibling to a Grade 2 winner, is coming around quickly. An unnamed Into Mischief-Orbolution filly has impressed the socalworkoutreport.com clocker.

A pair of late-developing colts by Maclean’s Music are Mesmerize, produced by a Grade 2 winner, and Diaghilev, a sibling to millionaire Grade 3 winner Goliad. Mesmerize and Diaghilev had their training interrupted by minor issues, and they may or may not make the meet.

Michael McCarthy

Juvenile fillies outnumber colts in the McCarthy stable.

“We have some colts that haven’t [arrived] from Ocala – later types,” McCarthy said.

A late-developing colt to keep an eye on is an unnamed Maxfield-Bilboquet colt who McCarthy said is “probably going to be more effective the farther they go.”

The fillies are further along, including La Ville Lumiere, a sharp maiden turf winner on May 30. With no local options since then, McCarthy said the filly has “been sitting here idling.” La Ville Lumiere is likely to target the Sorrento.

Unraced fillies with promise include Brooklyn Blonde, a Gun Runner product who McCarthy said “is doing everything right.” Mass is a Not This Time filly for the middle of the meet, along with Roccabella, by Ghostzapper. Tiptap is a Tacitus filly with a pair of five-furlong works under her belt. An unnamed City of Light-Helen Marie filly has posted a pair of five-furlong works.

Peter Miller

The colts Charlie’s Curlin, by Curlin, and Sendit Mo, by Yaupon, are prospects Miller said “are ready to run in the first book.” Both recorded bullet works at San Luis Rey Downs.

Sendit Mo could debut in a turf sprint, while Miller said Charlie’s Curlin is a “very nice colt [who] probably wants to go long.” Charlie’s Curlin could debut in August at six furlongs.

L Rankin, a Maximus Mischief colt, finished second with a compromised trip June 21 at Los Alamitos. What’s a Good Name is a Grazen filly who was transferred to Miller after she split the field in her debut June 6 at Churchill Downs. Mo’ Em Down won a restricted maiden race June 21 at Churchill Downs by more than nine lengths. The filly Violets Song is a Cal-bred by Violence.

Doug O’Neill

Hero Or Zero won by more than six lengths June 15, and the Pavel colt could be pointed to the Graduation Stakes for Cal-bred 2-year-olds on Aug. 8. Acknowledgemeplz, by Bucchero, earned an 80 Beyer Speed Figure finishing second to Desert Gate.

Brigante, by More Than Ready, finished second in his debut on turf, a race won by highly regarded Hey Nay Nay. Unraced colts trained by O’Neill include A. P. Again, by Honor A. P., and Classico, by Classic Empire. Debut winners Saul Elliott, a colt, and Light Won Up, a filly, will try to rebound after they finished sixth in stakes at Churchill Downs.

John Sadler

Liberation, a Cal-bred filly by Omaha Beach, scored a decisive debut win May 24 and is an early favorite for the CTBA Stakes on Aug. 3. Hey Nay Nay, a colt by No Nay Never, won his debut June 1 on turf. Expectations are high, but like other local 2-year-old maiden dirt winners, Hey Nay Nay is a turf juvenile with nowhere to run.

“There’s nothing to do [in California] between now and Labor Day,” Sadler said. “He might go to the Tyro Stakes on Aug. 2 at Monmouth.”

Sadler is bullish on Hey Nay Nay, whose next local option is the Grade 3 Del Mar Juvenile Turf on closing day, Sept. 7. Hey Nay Nay may be considered for $1 million races at Kentucky Downs in September.

Sadler is heavy with fillies. Those include unraced Super Corredora, a promising Gun Runner product expected to debut early. Mohaven, by Yaupon, has shown speed in works leading to her debut. Revera is a Lexitonian filly Sadler said is “ready to go.” Umbralle is a small-sized Into Mischief filly produced by superstar Unique Bella, while Yurak is a $950,000 yearling by Tapit.

John Shirreffs

Deep Tracks, a Nyquist colt, has not breezed since arriving in California in June, and though he might not start at the meet, he is worth monitoring. A $1 million purchase on behalf of CRK Stable at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-year-olds in training sale, the recently renamed Deep Tracks was turned out for 30 days after the sale. Deep Tracks’s dam is a sibling to Grade 1 winners Madcap Escapade and Dubai Escapade.

Shirreffs is light on 2-year-olds, but he mentioned the Uncle Mo colt Credible as a prospect for later.

Jonathan Thomas

The second half of the summer meet is the goal for many Thomas trainees, including a trio of 2-year-olds. Sharon’s Beach is an Omaha Beach filly who could debut at Colonial Downs before shipping to California. Not Wanted is a Vekoma turf-sprint filly, and an unnamed Improbable-Abou filly “has taken things pretty quickly,” Thomas said. She could debut at Del Mar.

Tim Yakteen

Forty Seven and Secured Freedom are colts by Practical Joke. Both have worked five furlongs and could be ready early in the meet. Soaring Angel is a Knicks Go filly whose dam produced Grade 1 winner Johannes. South Bay is an Omaha Beach filly who could start early.