The Best Pal Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds over a distance of six furlongs on the dirt track scheduled annually in August at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California. The event currently carries a purse of $150,000.

History

The event was inaugurated on 30 October 1967 as the Balboa Stakes with split divisions on the final day of the Del Mar 62 day racing season which went into the deep autumn. The event was for three-year-olds and older, and held on the turf over a distance of nine furlongs. The name reflected several area locations — Balboa Park near San Diego, Balboa Peninsula up the coast in Newport Beach, and Balboa Avenue in Del Mar which is located adjacent to the Del Mar Fairgrounds — all named in honor of the Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa.

The event was not run again until 1972 when conditions changed so that two-year-olds would run over a distance of furlongs. In 1974, the event was moved to the dirt track and run over a one-mile distance.

In 1983 the event was classified as Grade III and was upgraded to Grade II in 2003.

In 1995 the event was renamed to honor Best Pal, a three time California Horse of the Year who won the Balboa Stakes in 1990 and whose career earnings totaled more than $5.6 million for his owner-breeder, Golden Eagle Farm.

The event has had several distance changes with last being in 2018 when the journey was set at six furlongs.

The event's position in the racing calendar at Del Mar has led to the race being a preparatory race for the Del Mar Futurity, which is scheduled usually several weeks later.

Other notable winners of this event include the 1994 winner Timber Country who went on that year to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and was crowned US Champion Two-Year-Old Horse who the following year became the first horse to ever win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and American Triple Crown Classic Race when he won the 1995 Preakness Stakes. The 2009 winner, Lookin at Lucky, was crowned US Champion Two-Year-Old Horse and the following year also won the 2010 Preakness Stakes. The 2015 winner Nyquist followed up by winning the Del Mar Futurity and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, along with being crowned the US Champion Two-Year-Old Horse and the following year winning the 2016 Kentucky Derby.

In 2022 the event's classification was downgraded from Grade II to Grade III.

Records Speed record: 6 furlongs: 1:09.19 – Prince of Monaco (2023) furlongs: 1:15.08 – Officer (2001) 7 furlongs: 1:22.20 – Best Pal (1990) 1 mile: 1:35.40 – Doonesbury (1979) and Roving Boy (1982)

Margins: lengths – Instagrand (2018)

Most wins by a jockey: 5 - Alex Solis (1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2006)

Most wins by a trainer: 13 - Bob Baffert (1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2016, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026)

Most wins by an owner: 3 - Golden Eagle Farm (1990, 1992, 1998) 3 - Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman (2009, 2022, 2025) 3 - Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Bashor Racing, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital & Catherine Donovan (2023, 2024, 2026)

Best Pal Stakes – Del Mar Futurity double: Diabolo (1974), Visible (1976), Flying Paster (1978), Bold and Gold (1980), Saratoga Six (1984), Best Pal (1990), Worldly Manner (1998), Flame Thrower (2000), Officer (2001), Lookin At Lucky (2009), (2010), Nyquist (2015), Klimt (2016), Prince of Monaco (2023), Hughes (2026)

Winners Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefBest Pal Stakes2026HughesJuan J. HernandezBob BaffertFront Row Club, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Bashor Racing, Albaugh Family Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital & Catherine Donovan6 furlongs1:09.61$150,000III2025Desert Gate Juan J. HernandezBob Baffert Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman 6 furlongs1:10.37$150,000III2024Getaway Car Juan J. HernandezBob BaffertSF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital & Catherine Donovan6 furlongs1:10.73$147,000III2023Flavien PratBob BaffertSF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Robert E. Masterson, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan & Tom Ryan6 furlongs1:09.19$200,000III2022Havnameltdown Juan J. HernandezBob Baffert Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman 6 furlongs1:10.22$202,500III2021PappacapJoe BravoMark E. CasseRustlewood Farm6 furlongs1:11.66$200,500II2020WestonDrayden Van DykeRyan HansonChris Drakos & Ryan Hanson6 furlongs1:12.72$151,000II2019Joseph TalamoMark GlattDan J. Agnew, Rodney E. Orr, Jerry Schneider & John V. Xitco 6 furlongs1:11.34$200,351II2018InstagrandDrayden Van DykeJerry HollendorferOXO Equine 6 furlongs1:10.27$200,000II2017Run AwayFlavien PratSimon CallaghanKaleem Shah furlongs1:17.91$201,035II2016KlimtRafael BejaranoBob BaffertKaleem Shah furlongs1:16.11$200,345II2015NyquistMario GutierrezDoug F. O'NeillReddam Racing furlongs1:16.84$200,250II2014SkywayStewart ElliottMark E. CasseJohn C. Oxley furlongs1:16.67$200,250II2013Alberts HopeAlonso QuinonezMike PuypeJaam Racing furlongs1:16.71$150,250II2012Know MoreGarrett K. GomezDoug F. O'NeillReddam Racing furlongs1:16.14$150,000II2011Creative CauseRafael BejaranoMike HarringtonHeinz Steinmann furlongs1:15.62$150,000II2010J P's GustoPat ValenzuelaDavid E. HofmansGem Inc. furlongs1:16.61$150,000II2009Lookin At LuckyGarrett K. GomezBob BaffertMichael E. Pegram, Karl Watson & Paul Weitman furlongs1:16.06$150,000II2008† Azul LeonRafael BejaranoDoug F. O'NeillJoseph LaCombe Stable furlongs1:16.73$150,000II2007Michael C. BazeEric J. GuillotSouthern Equine Stable furlongs1:19.43$147,000II2006Principle SecretAlex O. SolisChristopher S. PaaschCharles R. Cono furlongs1:16.15$150,000II2005What a SongVictor EspinozaBob BaffertBob & Beverly Lewis furlongs1:15.64$147,000II2004Roman RulerCorey NakataniBob BaffertFog City Stable furlongs1:15.93$147,000II2003Perfect MoonPat ValenzuelaMelvin F. StuteAnnabelle Stute & The Hat Ranch furlongs1:16.90$150,000II2002KafwainVictor EspinozaBob BaffertThe Thoroughbred Corporation furlongs1:17.00$150,000III2001OfficerVictor EspinozaBob BaffertThe Thoroughbred Corporation furlongs1:15.08$138,000III2000Flame ThrowerCorey NakataniBob BaffertGary M. Garber furlongs1:16.51$150,000III1999Dixie UnionAlex O. SolisRichard E. MandellaDiamond A Racing Corp. & Herman Sarkowsky furlongs1:16.40$150,000III1998Worldly MannerGary L. StevensBob BaffertGolden Eagle Farm furlongs1:16.60$109,300III1997Old TopperAlex O. SolisNoble ThreewittBarbara Hunter furlongs1:16.40$108,825III1996Swiss YodelerAlex O. SolisMike HarringtonHeinz Steinmann furlongs1:16.00$105,550IIIBalboa Stakes1995Cobra KingRussell BazeMike PuypeFrances B. Biszantz furlongs1:15.80$105,350III1994Timber CountryAlex O. SolisD. Wayne LukasOverbrook Farm, Gainesway Stable, Robert & Beverly Lewis, et al. furlongs1:16.60$80,325III1993CrestonCorey BlackJenine SahadiEvergreen Farm furlongs1:16.20$79,650III1992Devil DiamondKent J. DesormeauxGary F. JonesGolden Eagle Farm7 furlongs1:22.60$79,650III1991ScherandoFrancisco MenaRichard W. MulhallChase Mishkin7 furlongs1:22.40$81,375III1990Best PalPat ValenzuelaIan P. D. JoryGolden Eagle Farm7 furlongs1:22.20$80,325III1989A. Sir DancerEddie DelahoussayeCharles M. MarikianG. Arakelian Farms7 furlongs1:23.00$81,300III1988Rob an PlunderChris McCarronCraig Anthony LewisDiamond Jim, et al.7 furlongs1:23.00$81,800III1987Purdue KingChris McCarronIrv GuineyJohn Valpredo7 furlongs1:23.20$65,500III1986Temperate SilBill ShoemakerFrankfurt Stable7 furlongs1:23.00$54,750III1985SwearWillard L. ProctorClaiborne Farm1 mile1:36.60$55,250III1984Saratoga SixAngel Cordero Jr.D. Wayne LukasD. Wayne Lukas, Eaton Farms, L. R. French Jr., Eugene Klein, Mel Hatley, & Samuel Lyon1 mile1:36.80$54,150III1983Party LeaderRay SibilleGary F. JonesElmendorf Farm1 mile1:37.20$54,050III1982Roving BoyEddie DelahoussayeJoseph ManziRobert E. Hibbert1 mile1:35.40$53,150 Listed1981The CaptainLaffit Pincay Jr.Laz BarreraHarbor View Farm1 mile1:36.80$44,400 Listed1980Bold and GoldDean C. HallWilliam A. ReavisTed Rexius1 mile1:37.40$38,300 Listed1979DoonesburySandy HawleyBarney WillisFletcher Jones, Sam Roffe & Barney Willis1 mile1:35.40$32,800 Listed1978Flying PasterDonald PierceGordon C. CampbellBernard J. Ridder1 mile1:35.60$33,000 Listed1977Spanish WayLaffit Pincay Jr.Laz BarreraHarbor View Farm1 mile1:36.00$27,950 Listed1976§ VisibleLaffit Pincay Jr.Vincent ClyneElmendorf Farm1 mile1:35.80$22,450 Listed1975Crazy ChannonDonald Pierce Harold C. McBride Colvin, Engelson & Nadel1 mile1:37.20$22,700 Listed1974DiaboloBill Shoemaker Sidney Martin Frank M. McMahon1 mile1:35.60$22,050Listed1973Battery E.Wayne Harris Dennis W. Sparks Diamond M Ranch furlongs1:30.60$21,750Listed1972Brave Dance Fernando Toro Wayne B. Stucki J. Kel Houssels furlongs1:29.80$21,625 1968–1971Race not held1967AcknowledgeWilliam Harmatz Gordon C. Campbell Vicgray Farm miles1:49.40$17,575Het's Cadet Miguel Yanez Linwood J. Brooks Wallace F. Zager1:49.60$17,575

Legend:

Notes:

‡ The inaugural running of the event in 1967 was for three year olds and older and was split into two divisions. The First Division winner Acknowledge was a six year old. The Second Division winner Het's Cadet was a four year old.

† In the 2008 Kelly Leak was first past the post but caused interference in the straight by drifting in and was disqualified and placed fourth. Azul Leon was declared the winner.

§ Ran as part of an entry

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

External links 2020 Del Mar Media Guide

References