He faced just three rivals but, with the way he ran, Getaway Car (Curlin) looked as though a full field wouldn't be a problem in taking the GIII Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar Sunday afternoon. Honored as a 'TDN Rising Star' for his 3 1/4-length debut performance over five furlongs July 20, the 1-5 favorite had an extra furlong to work with in the jump up to graded stakes company for trainer Bob Baffert.
Keen from the outside gate, Getaway Car had plenty of speed to clear down to the inside with Mischief River (Into Mischief) poised just off his flank for much of the running. The top pair put up fractions of :22.20 and :45.77 but, by the quarter pole, it was clear that Getaway Car was a runaway winner. Running up the score into that last furlong, he came home under a motionless Juan Hernandez to win under wraps.
“You know what, going into the gate it looked like he was going to have a lot of speed against him,” said Hernandez. “But in my mind I am going to take advantage of my position. The gate opened, my horse broke in front, and I just decided to let him go. He was very comfortable on the lead. He is really fast, so he cleared everybody. I just waited till the quarter pole, where his ears went up. I asked him to pick it up again and he did. Can't wait for the next one”.
Baffert added: “This guy's been a lot of fun. Great name and he's fast. He wasn't slowing down. He's got a beautiful stride. Just a beautiful way of doing it. He's by Curlin and Curlin's usually get better with age. The good horses can get the distance.”
Pedigree Note:
The 60th graded stakes winner for Curlin, Getaway Car is the first foal out stakes winner Surrender Now who sold as a 2-year-old for $220,000 and earned over $280,000 on the track. She is a half to GIII Bob Hope Stakes winner Red Flag (Tamarkuz). She has a Charlatan yearling colt who brought $285,000 as a weanling at Keeneland November last year and, after not producing a foal this year, was bred to Nyquist for next season.
Drivin' the Getaway Car ✨@JJHernandezS19 with a confident ride aboard Getaway Car to take the Grade III Best Pal Stakes. pic.twitter.com/zLoX4olMrZ
— Del Mar Racetrack (@DelMarRacing) August 11, 2024
Sunday, Del Mar
BEST PAL S.-GIII, $147,000, Del Mar, 8-11, 2yo, 6f, 1:10.73, ft.
1–GETAWAY CAR, 120, c, 2, by Curlin
1st Dam: Surrender Now (SW, $281,585), by Morning Line
2nd Dam: Surrender, by Stormy Atlantic
3rd Dam: Beaucette, by Mr. Prospector
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($300,000 Wlg '22 KEENOV; $700,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). 'TDN Rising Star'. O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan; B-Blue Heaven Farm & Curlin Syndicate (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $90,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $135,000. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Mischief River, 118, c, 2, Into Mischief–Candy Drawer, by Candy Ride (Arg). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($160,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP; $500,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR). O-Bow River Ranch, LLC; B-Pam & Martin Wygod (KY); T-James W. Glenn, Jr.. $30,000.
3–White Sands, 120, f, 2, Into Mischief–Unicorn Girl, by A. P. Five Hundred. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Mrs. John Magnier and Mrs. Paul Shanahan; B-Newstead Corp (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward. $18,000.
Margins: 5HF, 1 1/4, 12 1/4. Odds: 0.30, 5.20, 3.70.
Also Ran: Tiz Happy. Scratched: Ivan the Great.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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