The two biggest juvenile races at Del Mar each summer are the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and the Del Mar Debutante (G1). Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert swept them both in 2024 and 2025, and there's a strong chance he'll do so again in 2026.
Let's handicap both races.
Del Mar Futurity (G1)
Only five horses have entered the Del Mar Futurity, a seven-furlong sprint Baffert has won a staggering 19 times since 1996. Two of this year's entrants are trained by Baffert; the other three hail from the barn of Doug O'Neill.
#4 Hughes is the more accomplished of the Baffert duo and my top choice to win. The well-bred son of perennial leading sire Into Mischief opened his career with a dominant victory at Los Alamitos, dueling for the lead in a five-furlong maiden special weight before powering clear to win by six lengths.
Hughes was even more impressive when stepping up in class and distance for the six-furlong Best Pal (G3) at Del Mar. Once again, he dueled for the lead before opening up with authority in the homestretch, drawing away to crush his rivals by 7 3/4 lengths in the fast time of 1:09.61.
I particularly liked Hughes fast finish. He clocked his final two furlongs in :11.88 and :11.74. Stretching out over seven furlongs shouldn't be an obstacle for this exciting bay colt, so I expect Hughes to deliver another powerful performance in the Del Mar Futurity.
Who will take runner-up honors? It could be #5 Domus, the second Baffert trainee. The son of Uncle Mo was much the best when debuting in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Del Mar, leading all the way to triumph by 5 1/2 lengths.
But I actually prefer #1 Phone Booth, who won his debut dashing five furlongs against California-breds at Del Mar before finishing second in the Best Pal. While he was no match for Hughes, Phone Booth rallied to secure runner-up honors by a head over runaway Santa Anita maiden winner Kennyten. There should be enough pace in the Del Mar Futurity to set up another solid rally from Phone Booth.
Selections
1st: Hughes
2nd: Phone Booth
3rd: Domus
Del Mar Debutante (G1)
The Del Mar Debutante, a seven-furlong sprint for fillies, has drawn a 10-horse field. It looks considerably more competitive on paper than the Futurity, though Baffert still appears to hold the strongest hand.
Baffert has entered two fillies in the Debutante: #8 Holmby and #9 Miss Monica. Holmby has achieved more so far, having won a five-furlong maiden special weight and the six-furlong Sorrento (G3) at Del Mar. The latter victory came by a neck over a rival who pulled 7 1/2 lengths clear of the third-place finisher.
But Baffert's win rate with last-out graded stakes winners in juvenile graded stakes is lower than you might guess. According to data from Equibase Race Lens, Baffert has gone 4-for-20 (20%) with such runners over the last five years. It's a respectable record, but it includes a 0-for-2 tally with graded stakes winners in the Del Mar Debutante; Nooni finished fifth at 4-5 odds in 2024, and Himika ran fourth at 5-2 in 2025.
Baffert won those two editions of the Del Mar Debutante with last-out maiden winners Bottle of Rouge and Tenma. We anticipate history will repeat itself in 2026 with debut winner Miss Monica taking top honors over her more accomplished stablemate.
Miss Monica impressed when kicking off her career in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Del Mar last month. She led all the way to triumph by 5 3/4 lengths, and she finished up nicely, running her final five-sixteenths of a mile in :30.30 to hit the wire in 1:16.44.
Purchased for $850,000 as a two-year-old in training, Miss Monica looks like a stakes star in the making. Baffert's go-to jockey Juan Hernandez, who has ridden both Holmby and Miss Monica, is sticking with Miss Monica for the Debutante, and I'll likewise side with Miss Monica as my choice to win.
For second place, I'll try to beat Holmby with #7 Well Versed (12-1). The beautifully bred daughter of Into Mischief out of champion two-year-old filly Vequist has only run once, employing pace-tracking tactics to finish second against Miss Monica in the latter's maiden win. Well Versed pulled 10 1/4 lengths clear of the third-place finisher and could enjoy a favorable trip if she relaxes behind an honest pace in this large Debutante field.
Selections
1st: Miss Monica
2nd: Well Versed
3rd: Holmby
Now it's your turn! Who do you like in the Del Mar Futurity and Debutante?
Special thanks to Equibase, which provided me with a free subscription to Race Lens in exchange for product promotion. All opinions remain my own.
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