DEL MAR — The horses are new. The results are familiar. Bob Baffert has swept Southern California’s first weekend of graded stakes for the 2-year-olds of 2024.
Saturday, it was Nooni leading from gate to wire with jockey Juan Hernandez to win the Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar, prompting Baffert to say his young fillies appeared to be a little ahead of his young colts this summer. Sunday, it was Getaway Car saying “Oh yeah?” and striking a blow for the boys in the Baffert barn by recording his own front-running win with Hernandez aboard in the Best Pal Stakes. Getaway Car opened an advantage on the four-horse field from the start and went on to win by 5 1/2 lengths over Mischief River, with the filly White Sands third and Tiz Happy last in the $150,000, Grade III sprint.
Getaway Car was clocked in 1:10.73 for the 6 furlongs. He paid $2.
60. Baffert was asked if he learned anything from such a straightforward victory. “Yeah,” the trainer said.
“He’s fast.” Getaway Car, who cost $700,000 at an April auction, is a son of Curlin, the 2007 and 2008 American Horse of the Year, and Surrender Now, the 2017 Landaluce Stakes winner at Santa Anita for trainer Peter Miller. Named for a Taylor Swift song — the name was chosen by Katie Ryan, wife of part-owner Tom Ryan — Getaway Car has yet to trail in two starts.
“He’s got a beautiful way of going,” Baffert said, “and Curlins usually get better with age.” Hernandez said he expected to be challenged for the early.