Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert bids for his fourth straight victory in the Aug. 9 Best Pal Stakes (G3) at Del Mar with impressive maiden winner Desert Gate and St. Petersburg, a $700,000 son of Constitution .
A son of the stakes-winning, graded stakes-placed Curlin mare Theogony, Desert Gate was scooped up by the Three Amigos—owners Mike Pegram, Karl Wason, and Paul Weitman—after blazing an eighth-mile in :09 4/5 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale under tack show. The flashy chestnut looked well worth his $260,000 purchase price with his handy 2 1/4-length score first time out at Santa Anita Park | BloodHorse.com Track Profile">Santa Anita Park June 5.
Since his winning debut, Desert Gate has posted six works for Baffert, including a sharp five furlongs Aug. 2 in :59 2/5 at Del Mar, the second-fastest of 86 that morning.
Juan Hernandez is back aboard the colt from the far outside post in the short field of five 2-year-olds.
Baffert will also saddle SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables' St. Petersburg, who ran third to Best Pal rival Punto Forty in his June 21 debut at Los Alamitos Race Course.
If either Baffert trainee wins the six-furlong, $150,000 race, the conditioner, who achieved his first Best Pal win in 1998 with Worldly Manner, would take home an unprecedented 12th Best Pal trophy.
Trainer Doug O'Neill sends out the three remaining entrants in Punto Forty, second-out victor Pavlovian, and Calumet homebred and debut runner-up finisher Brigante.
Entries: Best Pal S. (G3)
Del Mar, Saturday, August 9, 2025, Race 4
- Grade III
- 6f
- Dirt
- $150,000
- 2 yo
- 3:33 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Brigante (KY) | Hector Isaac Berrios | 118 | Doug F. O'Neill | 6/1 |
| 2 | 2Punto Forty (NY) | Antonio Fresu | 118 | Doug F. O'Neill | 4/1 |
| 3 | 3St Petersburg (KY) | Drayden Van Dyke | 118 | Bob Baffert | 5/1 |
| 4 | 4Pavlovian (CA) | Umberto Rispoli | 120 | Doug F. O'Neill | 8/1 |
| 5 | 5Desert Gate (KY) | Juan J. Hernandez | 120 | Bob Baffert | 3/5 |
