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The Haiku Handicapper Presented By NYRA Bets: 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile

Time to analyze the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile field, in post position order, in the form of Haiku; a Japanese poem of 17 syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five.

To read previous editions of The Haiku Handicapper, click here.

#1 – Jack Christopher
It could be argued
He had the best final prep
Tough if traffic-free

#2 – Jasper Great
What's the exchange rate
From a 10-length Japan romp
To U.S. dollars?

#3 – Oviatt Class
Belongs in the field
But there's not a whole lot there
To stand out in it

#4 – Pappacap
Can win at Del Mar
But will his aim remain true
As foes get tougher?

#5 – Double Thunder
Climbing steadily
He'll need to skip a few rungs
To catch the top ones

#6 – American Sanctuary
Flyover standout
Appears to have a ceiling
Well below the best

#7 – Giant Game
Recent graduate
Feels like they're taking a shot
Don't love the angle

#8 – Barossa
He's bred for greatness
But what's he do better than
The other Bafferts?

#9 – Pinehurst
Two months between starts
Rust, two turns are big questions
The track is not, though

#10 – Commandperformance
A willing closer
Still looking for his first win
He could steal a piece

#11 – Tough to Tame
Better with each start
He'll pick up his share of wins
But hard to back here

#12 – Corniche
Freak Del Mar debut
Then 13-point Beyer drop
Feels like a red flag

Prediction
This race loves upsets
Jasper Great grows the legend
One, ten round it out

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Pinehurst Wins Runhappy Futurity On Del Mar’s Closing Day

Pinehurst scooted to the front in the seven-furlong Runhappy Del Mar Futurity Monday, then just kept on scooting all the way around to score a handy 4 1/2-length triumph in the 74th edition of the seaside track's Grade 1, $300,000 2-year-old championship race.

It was closing afternoon for the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club's 82nd summer season in Del Mar, Calif., and it ended as many have over the past 25 years, with trainer Bob Baffert saddling the winner of the Futurity. This time was No. 15 for the Hall of Fame conditioner who has shown an affinity with young horses that few other trainers can even think of.

Another Hall of Famer, old pro Mike Smith, rode Pinehurst and nursed him through quick fractions of :22.09, :44.77, 1:10.17 and a final of 1:23.55. It was Smith's first stakes score of the summer and his first in the Futurity.

Finishing second was Lovingier, Fasihuddin or Navarro's Finneus, who had a half length on Downstream Racing's American Xperiment.

“When we ran last time, he stumbled pretty badly coming out of there, but he still made the lead,” said Smith. “So I knew he was plenty quick. We beat a horse that day (August 1) named Enbarr and I knew they were real high on him. So I figured I was sitting on a good horse. When you ride for Bob (trainer Baffert), you ride with confidence. He puts so much foundation under them and they all come running. So glad I got to win a stakes at Del Mar; and best to do it with a Grade 1.”

Pinehurst won a first prize of $180,000 for his efforts and, added to the $42,000 he was awarded for his maiden victory at Del Mar on Aug/. 1, he now shows a bankroll of $222,000. He's a bay colt by Twirling Candy who cost $385,000 as a yearling at the Keeneland September Sale. Pinehurst was bred in Kentucky by Fred W. Hertrich III and John D. Fielding. He races for SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Catherine Donovan, Golconda Stable and Siena Farm LLC.

Pinehurst paid $10.00, $5.40 and $4.00 across the board. Finneus returned $18.00 and $7.80 and American Xperiment paid $5.00.

Earlier in the card, ERJ Racing and Kenney's Mackinnon outran eight rivals in the $102,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf, finishing the mile on the grass in 1:36.24.

The winner was handled by Juan Hernandez and is trained by Doug O”Neill.

Finishing second was Aiden Butler's Thirty Four Coupe, just a nose ahead of Sierra Racing or Sterling Stables' Silver Surfer.

“He broke his maiden (here July 31) in a manner that we were hoping this day would come but you never know,” said O'Neill. “So much credit to the owners being so patient and Juan (Hernandez) being so patient with this colt. I was a little bit concerned as the race unfolded. I knew that (Optimising) was the X-factor. I knew he was in from Europe and had been working well and had great connections and was in a great spot. But when Juan called on MacKinnon and he responded I started smiling. If he stays injury free the ($1 Million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 5) is the goal.”

Mackinnon earned $60,000 for his win and increased his bankroll to $117,860. As the 8/5 favorite he paid $5.20 $3.40 and $240. Thirty Four Coupe returned $14.60 and $7.00, while Silver Surfer paid $3.20.

Mackinnon is a chestnut colt by Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.

Mackinnon and jockey Juan Hernandez win the Del Mar Juvenile Turf

In the track's Pick 6 Single Ticket Jackpot wager, the “mandatory payout” pool reached $5,153,316 and rewarded 8,238 ticket holders with $561.74 each.

Racing will resume at Del Mar on Wednesday, Nov. 3. The track will host its second Breeders' Cup Championship on November 5 and 6.

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Pinehurst Wins Runhappy Del Mar Futurity By a ‘Fair Way’

Bob Baffert's odds-on favorite in Monday's GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity did little running, but it was no matter, as Baffert's 'other' colt, Pinehurst (Twirling Candy), picked up the slack and ran away from his foes to give Baffert an incredible 15th victory in the seaside oval's annual closing day feature.

Gutting out a hard-fought debut victory as a 17-10 chalk going five furlongs on this track Aug. 1, the $385,000 Keeneland September buy was made a distant second choice despite owning the best Beyer figure in the field as all the money poured in on Murray (Street Sense). Assuming command early with no riders showing much appetite for using their mounts' speed, Pinehurst dictated terms through a :22.09 quarter while just lightly pressed by the favorite as the other two single-digit odds horses, Pappacap (Gun Runner) and American Xperiment (Nyqust), comprised the third flight.

Murray came under the gun fairly early on the turn and was pushed along through a :44.77 half while making no dent on the leader's margin. Shifting out one path at the top of the lane, Pinehurst left the rail open for Pappcap, but that rival could not quicken with him as the leader drew away into mid-stretch. Longshot Finneus (Stay Thirsty) rallied down the center of the track to get into second, but was never within shouting distance of Pinehurst, who came home comfortably in charge under Mike Smith, remarkably winning the Del Mar Futurity for the first time. American Xperiment edged out Pappcap for third, with Murray checking in a dull fifth.

“I could see that Murray didn't have it today. He was struggling early on. I'm just glad that I had two good horses and one of them had it even if the other one didn't,” said Baffert. “I've been blessed over the years with so many good owners and so many good young horses. Mike Smith broke his maiden, so it was natural to have him back. He's a great rider and you give him a live one he knows what to do.”

“When we ran last time, he stumbed pretty badly coming out of there, but he still made the lead. So I knew he was plenty quick,” added Smith. “We beat a horse that day named Enbarr and I knew they were real high on him. So I figured I was sitting on a good horse. When you ride for Bob, you ride with confidence. He puts so much foundation under them and they all come running. So glad I got to win a stakes at Del Mar; and best to do it with a Grade I.”

Pedigree Notes:

With the victory, Pinehurst becomes the 30th stakes winner, 11th graded stakes winner and sixth Grade I winner for Lane's End Farm's Twirling Candy, following Finley'sluckycharm, Gift Box, Concrete Rose, Collusion Illusion and this year's GI Preakness S. victor Rombauer. He is the third foal to race out of My Meadowview homebred Giant Win, a full-sister to GSW First Passage out of MSW Win's Fair Lady. Third dam Win Crafty Lady was a GSW who produced four-time GSW and sire Graeme Hall (Dehere), GISW Harmony Lodge (Hennessy) and GSW Win McCool (Giant's Causeway). Giant Win has a yearling colt by Cairo Prince and produced a Liam's Map colt this season before returning to the winner's sire.

Monday, Del Mar
RUNHAPPY DEL MAR FUTURITY-GI, $300,500, Del Mar, 9-6, 2yo, 7f, 1:23.55, ft.
1–PINEHURST, 120, c, 2, by Twirling Candy
                1st Dam: Giant Win, by Giant's Causeway
                2nd Dam: Win's Fair Lady, by Dehere
                3rd Dam: Win Crafty Lady, by Crafty Prospector
   1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
   WIN. ($180,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $385,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP).
O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC,
Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Jay Schoenfarber,
Waves Edge Capital LLC, Catherine Donovan, Golconda Stable
& Siena Farm LLC; B-Fred W. Hertrich III & John D. Fielding
(KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Mike E. Smith. $180,000. Lifetime
Record: 2-2-0-0, $222,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple
   Plus*. Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Finneus, 120, c, 2, Stay Thirsty–My Fiona, by Ghostzapper.
($200,000 Ylg '20 FTCAYR). O-Naseer Mohammed Fasihuddin,
Terry Lovingier & Amanda Navarro; B-Terry C. Lovingier (CA);
T-Walther Solis. $60,000.
3–American Xperiment, 123, c, 2, Nyquist–Lovely Lil, by
Tiznow. ($150,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Downstream Racing, LLC;
B-Allied Racing Stable, LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.
$36,000.
Margins: 4HF, HF, HF. Odds: 4.00, 38.40, 5.10.
Also Ran: Pappacap, Murray, Olympic Legend. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Corniche Indicative Of Depth Of Baffert Juveniles

Smack in the middle of the two Grade 2 races on Saturday's program was a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight sprint for 2-year-olds. And if racing fans were looking for a bridge of interest between the $200,000 John C. Mabee Stakes and the $250,000 Caesars Sportsbook Del Mar Derby they got it.

Corniche, a $1.5 million purchase by Speedway Stables at the Ocala sale in April, trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, drew clear shortly after the break from the gate; led by two lengths at the top of the stretch; extended the advantage via what the charts described as “an energetic hand ride” from jockey Mike Smith: and won by 4 ¼ lengths geared down in a time of 1:03.01

Speedway Stables is the nom du course of Peter Fluor of Houston, TX. His horse, Collected, won the 2017 TVG Pacific Classic.

Corniche was one of 33 2-year-olds Baffert nominated to Monday's $300,000 Grade 1 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity. But Saturday's race represented an impressive debut for the Quality Road colt. And Baffert will have two others who also were impressive debut winners earlier in the meeting as representatives, Pinehurst and Murray, when he seeks a 15th Futurity victory in the penultimate race of the summer meeting.

The nomination deadline for both the Runhappy Del Mar Futurity and today's $300,000 Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante was June 25 this year. And Baffert, always with an abundance of talented babies, takes a shotgun approach when the paperwork is due.

“We have to do it early, so I nominate a lot of them and see which ones are ready when the time comes,” Baffert said this morning.

Murray, a son of Street Sense who commanded $300,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale, debuted with a 10 ¼-length victory at 5 ½ furlongs in 1:04.20 on July 25. Pinehurst, a $385,000 purchase at the same sale and for the same ownership group – SF Racing, Starlight Racing and partners – won his career opener by a half-length, covering five furlongs in :58 flat.

Baffert said Corniche came out of his race in fine fettle and future assignments will be determined in a few days.

“I wasn't surprised, I expected it,” Baffert said of the Corniche effort. “He was flying early and he kept flying late. The Futurity was coming up a little too quick for him, but we're excited about him like we are about several others. This is a really good group of 2-year-olds.”

The field for the Runhappy Del Mar Futurity from the rail with jockeys and morning line odds in parentheses: Pappacap (Joe Bravo, 3-1); Olympic Legend (Jose Valdivia, Jr., 12-1); Finneus (Tiago Pereira, 12-1); Pinehurst (Mike Smith, 5/2); Murray (Flavien Prat, 2-1), and American Xperiment (Umberto Rispoli, 5/2).

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