When Brant strode into the paddock, the striking grey colt carried more than just the sheen of a $3 million price tag. His trainer Bob Baffert, white hair glinting in the afternoon sun, gave a quiet nod of confidence. Jockey Flavien Prat — cool, composed, but with the memory of three past wins in this race behind him — adjusted his silks as the Del Mar crowd leaned closer to catch a glimpse of what could be the next star in the making.
Del Mar Futurity Preview
The Del Mar Futurity 2025 will be staged today (Sunday, September 7th) as the 78th running of the juvenile showcase, the headline act on an 11-race program that also closes the seaside oval’s 86th season. It is, once again, Baffert’s stage. The Hall of Fame trainer has captured the Futurity an extraordinary 18 times, including each of the past four editions. His influence over this race has become something of a Del Mar tradition.
This year, Baffert sends out four of the six runners. Brant, by Gun Runner and already a dominant maiden winner earlier in the meet, is the centerpiece. Purchased for $3 million by Amr F. Zedan’s Zedan Racing Stables, he announced himself with a runaway debut victory that underlined both class and raw talent. Prat, who piloted him then, retains the mount.
Baffert’s supporting cast includes Balboa (Kazushi Kimura up), Litmus Test (Tyler Gaffalione), and Desert Gate (Juan Hernandez). Collectively, they form a formidable phalanx against two outsiders from Doug O’Neill’s stable — the only other trainer brave enough to take on Baffert in this year’s edition. O’Neill’s Civil Liberty (Antonio Fresu) and Calumet Farm’s Brigante (Hector I. Berrios) round out the field.
Morning line odds place Brant as the clear favourite at even money, with Civil Liberty (9/2) and Desert Gate (4-1) considered the likeliest threats. The Futurity is scheduled as Race 4 with an approximate post time of 3 p.m.
Wide-Open Juvenile Turf Stakes
Also on the program is the 14th renewal of the Del Mar Juvenile Turf. A full field of 15 promises unpredictability, but all eyes will linger on John Sadler’s Hey Nay Nay. The colt, representing Hronis Racing and Iapetus Racing, is unbeaten in two starts, including a smart win in the Tyro Stakes at Monmouth last month. Berrios will again take the reins.
The Juvenile Turf, contested over a mile, looks the perfect complement to the Futurity — one highlighting turf potential, the other sharpening the edges of dirt talent. First post on Sunday is set for 1:30 p.m.
As Del Mar prepares to bid farewell to its 86th season, the Futurity once more carries the weight of history, expectation, and the possibility of a champion emerging from the southern California surfside track.
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