Del Mar Futurity Racing Roundup

Last month, owner J. Paul Reddam and trainer Doug O’Neill sent the first-time starter Know More to the starting gate at 8-1 odds in the Best Pal Stakes (G2) at Del Mar racetrack and the gamble paid off with a win for the nice looking son of Lion Heart.

Today, Reddam will send Know More to the starting gate in the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity (G1) as the 5-2 morning line favorite.

Know More was my long shot pick in the Best Pal Stakes (G2) and it looks like O’Neill, who is on suspension, and Reddam know how to pick good spots for their young colts to be successful competitors – they are the connections of this year’s Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner I’ll Have Another.

Assistant trainer Leandro Mora will prep Know More for today’s race.

As a two-year-old, Know More’s sire Lion Heart won the Hollywood Prevue (G3) and Hollywood Futurity (G1). The damsire of Know More is the Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew and the dam, Seattle Qui, has four winners from five starters and two stakes winner.

If Know More repeats his performance in the Best Pal, he’ll be tough to beat.

Trainer John Sadler sends Capo Bastone, the 3-1 morning line second-choice, and Scherer Magic (8-1) to the starting gate in today’s race.

Of the pair, I like Capo Bastone the best. He comes into today’s race with a nice maiden win at Del Mar on August 4 and a recent bullet work out could have him ready to run a good race.

Street Boss, the sire of Capo Bastone, is ranked fourth on the Thoroughbred Times Freshman Sire List with 10 winners in 31 starters for a 32 percent strike rate.

Scherer Magic was undefeated in two previous starts and the favorite going into the Best Pal Stakes. He easily won his maiden debut by 7¼-lengths at Betfair Hollywood Park on June 14 and followed up that romp a month later at the same track with a 2½-length win in the Hollywood Juvenile Championships Stakes (G3).

But Scherer Magic did not race to his previous form and finished in a disappointing fifth-place, 5¼-lengths behind the victor Know More.

Since that race, jockey Joe Talamo has been replaced by Corey Nakatani and while I’m not looking for a win from Scherer Magic in today’s race, if he looks good in the paddock and post parade, he could be worthy of a wager in the exotics.

A long shot I like in this race is Pure Loyalty (30-1) who closed from 8-lengths off the pace in his maiden debut to finish second to Tree Of Life who is another nice looking son of Lion Heart.

With Simon Pure as his sire and Arch as the damsire, Pure Loyalty should like the increase in distance to 7-furlongs. A recent bullet work out could indicate that he is ready to run a good race for trainer Mark Glatt.

Good luck with your picks!