Michael Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman’s Kentucky-bred Gaming remained undefeated with an impressive victory in the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity (G1) on Sunday, Sept. 8.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Gaming raced in fifth early in the seven-furlong affair. He drew closer to the pacesetters from the inside down the backstretch. He tipped out and drew along stablemate Getaway Car at the five-sixteenths pole and seized command leaving the far turn. Gaming kicked clear in upper stretch and finished strongly to score by 1 ¾ lengths at the finish for trainer Bob Baffert. Final time for the seven furlongs was 1:23.02.

“He relaxed well,” said Prat. “He was a bit on his toes before the race, so I kept him quiet. Very straightforward and (he) leveled out nice. Bob just told me not to rush him, and I thought I was in a good spot on my way around the corner. When he went off to his left lead, I jumped on the bridle right away. After that, I felt pretty much in control the whole way.”

Gaming Remains Undefeated

A son of first-crop sire Game Winner, Gaming is out of the Johannesburg mare So Stylish. Bred in Kentucky by Mt. Brilliant Farm and Racing LLC, Gaming was acquired for $250,000 at this year’s OBS Spring Sale, where he was consigned by Pick View. In the under tack preview for the OBS Spring Sale, Gaming breezed a fast quarter in :20 2/5. Perfect in two lifetime starts, Gaming has now banked $225,000 in earnings. He broke his maiden on debut, taking a Del Mar maiden special weight on Aug. 11.

“You’re always concerned when you draw the one, two,” said Jimmy Barnes, Baffert’s assistant trainer on Gaming’s Del Mar Futurity win. “Prat, he’s smart. He let the other ones go. He let him drop back a little bit, picked a spot up the rail and to the outside and he was on his way. No game plan.”