Field for Del Mar Futurity Is Less Than Classic

The Del Mar Futurity, which has averaged one graduate a year in the Kentucky Derby for the last decade, will be run for the 41st time today, and although hardly any 2-year-olds in this field have the look of a classic runner, not even the Shadow knows.

At 22-1 in 1980, Partez didn’t figure in the Futurity, but he finished fourth, and the next year he led the Derby with 400 yards to run and wound up a respectable third at Churchill Downs.

One thing that can be said about today’s Futurity group is that it’s diverse. The 11-horse field includes an expensive colt, Crown Collection, a $575,000 yearling; a cheap horse, Pokarito, who cost $6,000; two geldings, Bruho and Music Merci; a maiden, Hajin Boy, and six juveniles who will be running around two turns for the first time.

About the only thing the Futurity lacks is a filly, which is of note because Lost Kitty beat the boys last year and so did Althea in 1983. Wayne Lukas, who trained both of those horses, will be trying to win his fourth Futurity today with either Crown Collection or Texian.

In a year in which no California 2-year-old has anyone agog, a few promising horses are missing.

King Glorious, who might be considered the best of the West Coast crop because he’s undefeated and won the Hollywood Juvenile, has been set back by a fever. King Glorious was a speedy winner of the Juvenile, running 6 furlongs in 1:08 4/5 on a day on which 3-year-olds were a second slower, and he beat Futurity starters Bruho, Mountain Ghost and Music Merci easily.

Sabulose, who ran 5 1/2 furlongs in a record-threatening 1:02 4/5 here on opening day, is also ill and Rob an Plunder, winner of two stakes this season, has sore shins.

If all 11 horses run, the Del Mar Futurity will be worth $346,300, with $229,300 going to the winner and both figures setting track records. This race is the second of 11 major stakes for 2-year-olds this year. Last month, Mercedes Won led off the schedule by winning the Hopeful at Saratoga and Sunday, at Belmont Park, Fast Play, who was second in the Hopeful, is expected to run in that track’s Futurity.

The Del Mar Futurity is a mile, and although Crown Collection and Bruho have never run that far, they are the favorites.

Crown Collection, a son of Alydar, has won twice here in his only two starts. Bruho, who was claimed from trainer Mel Stute for $50,000 by Julio Canani when he won his debut at Hollywood Park in June, has been unable to beat King Glorious, Music Merci and Rob an Plunder, but he looked like a winner in the Balboa here Aug. 31 before he ducked out and unseated jockey Gary Stevens at the head of the stretch.

Canani is adding blinkers and a shadow roll, a sheepskin covering that fits between the nose and the eyes. “He’s worked well since his last race with blinkers,” Canani said. “Gary thinks he shied from the furlong pole last time.”

Only three of today’s starters--Hawkster, Texian and Student Loan--have won at a mile. Student Loan did it two weeks ago, running for a $40,000 claiming price with no takers.

Horse Racing Notes

Laffit Pincay, sidelined for 6 weeks because of a spill that broke several ribs and punctured a lung, is back today and is named on four horses, including Texian in the Futurity. . . . Sandy Hawley, the former California jockey who has become the leading rider at Woodbine near Toronto, will ride Student Loan, then return to Canada until this winter, when he will ride in California again.

The owners of six horses--Texian, Bruho, Hawkster, Student Loan, Crown Collection and Pokarito--paid supplementary fees of $10,000 apiece to run. . . . By Land by Sea, the 4-year-old filly who has won her last four stakes, returns to training this week, but not in time to be ready for the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5. By Land by Sea has been out since late June because of complications during throat surgery. . . . Del Mar’s 43-day season ends today.