Best Pal S.

Sent off the 1-2 chalk on the strength of a 2 1/4-length debut victory going five furlongs July 24, Mike Pegram, Karl Watson & Paul Weitman's Havnameltdown (Uncaptured) was made to work for it, but in the end proved too classy for his rivals in Sunday's GIII Best Pal S., coming away late to take it by open lengths. Drawn widest of all, the $16,000 OBS October Yearling turned $200,000 OBS April breezer (:9 4/5) pinged the stalls and showed good early speed to get down into the three path,...

Dispatched as the 23-10 second choice in Saturday's GII Best Pal S. at Del Mar, Pappacap (Gun Runner) became the first stakes winner for his freshman sire (by Candy Ride {Arg}) with a convincing victory. Away smoothly from the three hole, the homebred was content to sit in third position beneath Joe Bravo, stalking the dueling duo of Bet On Mookie (Uncaptured) and Thirsty Always (Stay Thirsty) through an opening quarter in :22.11. Ridden quietly past the five-sixteenths pole, Pappacap was asked to come after the pacesetters three wide on...

Instagrand (Into Mischief--Assets of War, by Lawyer Ron), a 'TDN Rising Star' and blowout winner of the GII Best Pal S. in 2018, has been retired to Taylor Made Stallions for the 2021 breeding season. He will stand for a fee of $7,500. Instagrand earned his 'Rising Star' after graduating by 10 lengths at first asking at Los Alamitos, covering five furlongs in a swift :56 flat, before validating that performance with a 10 1/4-length romp in the Best Pal. At three, he finished third off a seven-month absence in...