By Jill Williams
Make it an even dozen. On Saturday afternoon under the usual beautiful skies of a Southern Californian summer, Desert Gate (c, 2, Omaha Beach–Theogony, by Curlin) gave Hall of Famer Bob Baffert his 12th career win in the GIII Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar, in addition to the fourth consecutive victory in the race for the Baffert team. To make it even sweeter, Desert Gate also marked the third winner in the Best Pal for the ownership trio of Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, as well as the third for rider Juan Hernandez.
The public pegged Desert Gate at 1-5 following his only career start–a 2 1/4-length score June 13 going five furlongs at Santa Anita in which he notched a field-high 86 Beyer Speed Figure–and they were right on the money. The chestnut turned in a textbook performance, stalking June 21 Los Alamitos winner Punto Forty (Nyquist) early before taking command by the :45.31 half. Desert Gate opened up effortlessly at the top of the stretch, then simply kept going. Hernandez never moved on him, peeking under his arm early in the stretch and finally looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was coming before he eased Desert Gate up prior to the wire. The two could not have posted a more facile victory over the short field as they coasted over the line 8 3/4 lengths the best. While no one else threatened, the Doug O'Neill-trained stablemates Pavlovian (Pavel) and Brigante (More Than Ready) finished second and third.
“It's nice to see these horses develop like this,” said Baffert. “He's been kind of quiet down here, but he broke well and that's the most important part of these 2-year-old races is that they come out clean. This horse is very professional since day one. It's nice to have these horses. That's what we're in the business for. We just got to keep him healthy and sound.”
Bred by Twin Oaks Bloodstock after purchased in utero for $70,000 at Keeneland January in 2023 by MWG, Desert Gate himself went through the ring three times. DKW Racing picked him up as a $125,000 weanling at Keeneland November, Arroyo Bloodstock paid $100,000 for him at Keeneland September, and Three Amigos finally purchased him for $260,000 at this year's OBS March sale after he breezed a furlong in :9 4/5. Shipped to Baffert, Desert Gate got right to work, posting his first official move Apr. 4 at Los Alamitos. He hasn't missed a beat, making that aforementioned initial start in June and continuing to work steadily since, including a near-bullet five furlongs in :59 2/5 (2/86) at Del Mar Aug. 2. He is now undefeated in two career starts.
Desert Gate leaves the field behind | Benoit
Pedigree Notes:
The runaway leader among third-crop sires of 2025 to date, Omaha Beach is also one of just three current North American stallions with two 2-year-old black-type winners thus far for the year. Desert Gate joins Schuylerville Stakes winner Kingsolver as 2-year-old stakes winners from Omaha Beach's third crop, making Omaha Beach the only 2025 sire with one juvenile stakes winner to date at each of the two big summer tracks: Del Mar and Saratoga. Desert Gate is among the six graded winners and 24 black-type winners for the son of War Front, who stands at Spendthrift.
Desert Gate is the first winner for his dam, MSW & MGSP Theogony, who has two to the races among her first five foals. Theogony has been sent through the sales ring five times since 2018 as a broodmare, bringing a $500,000 high at Keeneland November in 2018 and a low of $3,000 at the same sale last year, when she was picked up by Vernon Obermeier. She produced a colt by Medaglia d'Oro in 2024, no foal in 2025, and was bred to Mystic Guide for 2026. A daughter of Curlin, she has now produced one of the 37 black-type winners for the Hill 'n' Dale stallion as a broodmare sire.
In Hand & In Command 🎙️
Desert Gate DOMINATES the Grade III Best Pal Stakes. pic.twitter.com/juyyRnaBH0
— Del Mar Racetrack (@DelMarRacing) August 9, 2025
Saturday, Del Mar
BEST PAL S.-GIII, $150,000, Del Mar, 8-9, 2yo, 6f, 1:10.37, ft.
1–DESERT GATE, 120, c, 2, by Omaha Beach
1st Dam: Theogony (SW-Can, SW & MGSP-USA, $404,544), by Curlin
2nd Dam: Upcoming Story, by Tale of the Cat
3rd Dam: Old Star (Arg), by Southern Halo
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($125,000 Wlg '23 KEENOV; $100,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP; $260,000 2yo '25 OBSMAR). O-Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman; B-Twin Oaks Bloodstock (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $90,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $126,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Pavlovian, 120, c, 2, Pavel–Mandy's Grace, by Bellamy Road. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Reddam Racing, LLC (CA); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $30,000.
3–Brigante, 118, r, 2, More Than Ready–Cheeky Charm, by A.P. Indy. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $18,000.
Margins: 8 3/4, 1, 4HF. Odds: 0.20, 12.30, 8.40.
Also Ran: Punto Forty, St Petersburg.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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