Sky’s The Limit in Del Mar Futurity

John Oxley’s Skyway (Sky Mesa) is one of just a few runners in today’s GI Del Mar Futurity that has a win under his belt, never mind one over this track. Selected as the morning-line favorite, the Mark Casse trainee opened his account with a 6 3/4-length romp on the Keeneland synthetic Apr. 5 and was a respectable third next out in Churchill’s GIII Bashford Manor S. June 28. Shipped to the West Coast, the chestnut captured the GII Best Pal S. last time going 6 1/2 panels over this strip Aug. 3. 

Hall of Famer Bob Baffert is the winningest trainer of this event, having captured 11 of the previous renewals, and he has two chances to make it an even dozen today. Tabbed the morning-line second choice, Michael Lund Petersen’s Holiday Camp (Street Boss) earned his diploma on the dirt at Santa Anita June 7. The chestnut finished sixth to the undefeated Wake Up Nick (Cindago)–who captured Monday’s I’m Smokin S. here against state-breds–last time in the 5 1/2-furlong Santa Anita Juvenile S. June 22. The $700,000 OBS March purchase has never raced on synthetic before, but has plenty of speedy works over the Del Mar surface, including a six-furlong bullet in 1:12 Aug. 27. Stablemate American Pharoah(Pioneerof the Nile) also fired a bullet Aug. 27, breezing a best-of-37 five panels in :59. The Zayat Stables homebred was fifth as the favorite in a 6 1/2-panel maiden special weight Aug. 9, which was wired by the very speedy Om (Munnings).

Several other runners in this field are exiting that Aug. 9 test, including runner-up Iron Fist (Tapit). Owned by Regis Racing and Stonestreet Stables, the $1.55-million KEESEP purchase was fourth on debut going five furlongs here July 19 prior to his second-place effort last time and his Beyer Speed Figure jumped up 16 points from that debut to his last start. The Jerry Hollendorfer trainee broke slowly in both of his previous starts, so his improved form and a quicker break under Mike Smith could make him a major player here. Richard Pell’s Calculator (In Summation) faced Iron Fist in both of his previous outings, finishing third July 19 and fourth Aug. 9. 

Success Racing’s Henry’s Holiday (Harlan’s Holiday) enters this test off a runner-up effort to Skyway in the Best Pal. The Doug O’Neill pupil donned cap and gown in his Santa Anita unveiling May 9 and was fourth in the Santa Anita Juvenile.