Havnameltdown gets first stakes in $125,000 Best Pal (G3)

Havnameltdown gave Bob Baffert a record ninth winner of the Best Pal S. (G3) on Sunday at Del Mar, drawing off in the stretch to win by 2 ½-lengths.

The 2-year-old colt, owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, has won both of his starts and earned $168,000.

Havnameltdown was very keen out of the gate, immediately going to the lead to battle with Man Child through a quarter-mile in :21.74. He began to edge clear around the turn, and widened his margin in the stretch to win comfortably in 1:10.22 on a fast track.

The time is a stakes record since the race was made six furlongs in 2018.

“I was outside and my plan was to stay second or third, but he was real aggressive out of the gate,” said winning rider Juan Hernandez. “He wanted to go to the front so I just let him run and do his thing. At the quarter pole he was getting kind of lazy so I woke him up a bit and he picked it up really well and got to the wire.”

Baffert first won the race in 1998 with Worldly Manner. Other notable winners for the Hall of Fame trainer are Kafwain, Roman Ruler and Lookin at Lucky.