‘Lucky wins Del Mar Futurity

Even-money favorite Lookin at Lucky rallied Monday to give trainer Bob Baffert his second straight victory and ninth overall in the Grade I, $300,000 Del Mar Futurity, a primary prep for November’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Ridden by Garrett Gomez, Lookin at Lucky was seventh in the field of nine 2-year-olds but rallied to beat Make Music for Me by a length, covering seven furlongs in 1:22.85.

“In these big races, you’ve got to take what they give you,” Gomez said. “But if you have a good horse, you can do a lot of things.”

Lookin at Lucky paid $4, $3 and $2.40. Make Music for Me paid $4.60 and $4. Smiling Tiger was half a length back in third and paid $4.80 to show.

Baffert, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer, won last year’s Futurity with Midshipman, who went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. The trainer also won Sunday’s $1-million Pacific Classic with Richard’s Kid.

Lookin at Lucky is unbeaten in three starts and has earned $303,000.

In Monday’s other stakes for 2-year-olds, John Scott and jockey Victor Espinoza rallied to beat Daylight Storm by three-quarters of a length in the $100,000 I’m Smokin Stakes.

And 4-year-old Briecat, with Martin Garcia aboard, won the $85,000 Adoration Stakes for fillies and mares, beating favorite Hot n’ Dusty by half a length.