A Keeneland November grad as a weanling, PINEHURST became Taylor Made’s 123rd Grade 1-winning sales grad with an easy gate-to-wire score in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) on Labor Day. It was only the juvenile’s second start after a debut maiden-breaking victory just three weeks before.
Going off as the second choice in wagering for a field of promising juveniles that included G2 winner Pappacap, jockey Mike Smith guided PINEHURST to take immediate command of the race from the gate. Cornering efficiently into the stretch, the colt pulled away from a wall of challengers, and only widened his margin down the stretch to win by over four lengths in the end. He completed the seven furlongs in 1:23.55, giving Bob Baffert his 15th victory in the Grade 1 event.
PINEHURST joins an outstanding resumé of Grade 1 winners bred by Fred W. Hertrich III’s Watercress Farm; including Boys at Tosconova, Catholic Boy, Diversify, Hit the Road, Maxim Rate, Rushing Fall, Shamardal, and Street Boss. The Twirling Candy colt is out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Giant Win, becoming Unbridled Song’s 27th Grade 1 winner as a Broodmare Sire.
Racing for a slew of connections that include SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, Golconda Stable and Siena Farm, PINEHURST has tallied earnings of $222,000.