Citizen Bull gets the nod in Del Mar Futurity

Trainer Bob Baffert will saddle a trio of excellent prospects in Sunday’s $300,000 Del Mar Futurity (G1). The Hall of Fame conditioner has saddled the winner of this race on a staggering 17 occasions, and I expect him to add to his total in the feature. 

Del Mar Futurity Wagers

• $25 win #7 Citizen Bull ($25)
• $5 exacta key box 7 with 1,2 ($20)

I am siding with perhaps his less-ballyhooed entrant, #7 Citizen Bull. The $675,000 yearling purchase was unveiled on Aug. 17 in a 5 1/2-furlong dash on the surface and came home a game winner over a talented juvenile who was seven lengths clear of the third-place finisher. By Into Mischief, the bay has posted a pair of useful morning moves in the interim, and he picks up Mike Smith for the voyage. 

The outside draw is a benefit to the colt, and the April foal will also thrive with the added ground with which to work with on Sunday. He will receive a great trip just off of a swift and contested pace early on prior to edging clear inside the final furlong. While Citizen Bull has plenty of early foot, he doesn’t need the lead in order to win as he proved in his debut offering. 

#1 Getaway Car has yet to be headed, or challenged, from a pair of races to commence his career for Baffert. The Curlin colt made short work of a maiden field on July 20 and then did the same in the Best Pal S. (G3) most recently. The $700,000 yearling buy didn’t beat much last time but has a very high ceiling, and the January foal will be the one to catch once again. I fully expect Juan Hernandez to send him hard from the rail when the gates open. 

Baffert’s #2 Gaming was fast early and swift late in posting a facile debut tally on the strip on Aug. 11 and is surely one to consider in the contest. This Game Winner colt could be almost any kind going forward, but he might endure a tricky voyage with speed to his inside and outside on this day. The dark bay might be good enough to overcome it, however, and getting Flavien Prat to ride is a very good thing as the Frenchman has been on quite a roll this summer.