Dr. Schivel (Violence), a blowout maiden winner last out, plus a pair of horses yet to earn their diploma make up a quality trio of major contenders in Monday's GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity.
Backed down to 3-2 debuting June 21 at Santa Anita, the Luis Mendez trainee rallied to be third after some trouble and was runner-up July 4 at Los Alamitos. Jumping way forward in his local bow Aug. 8, the bay blasted clear to a 5 3/4-length victory, earning by far his highest career Beyer with an 86.
Returning to take another crack at him is the runner-up from that day, Spielberg (Union Rags). Selling for a cool $1 million at Keeneland September, the chestnut was backed down to 4-5 debuting for Bob Baffert, but was no match for Dr Schivel. Breaking from the rail, he drilled five furlongs in :59 3/5 (2/74) over this track Aug. 22.
Dixie's Two Stents (Quality Road) looks to give Doug O'Neill his third Del Mar Futurity win. Narrowly bested by Baffert's odds-on Freedom Fighter (Violence) debuting locally Aug. 1, the $60,000 Keeneland November buy clocked his final furlong in :11.49 that day and has come back to blow out five panels in a bullet :59 flat (1/58) Aug. 30.
Weston (Hit It a Bomb), a 21-1 victor over Dr. Schivel in the aforementioned Arcadia heat, backed up that result with a game tally in the GII Best Pal S. Aug. 8. He'll likely need a big figure boost off his career top of 67 to make it three in a row.
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