The summer contests of 2026 at Del Mar presented a notable group of 2-year-olds appearing as significant contenders for the 2025 Breeders’ Cup and the 2026 Triple Crown.
Distaff runners like Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante Stakes victor Bottle of Rouge and turf competitors such as Grade 3 Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes champion Hey Nay Nay displayed aptitude, though the strongest showings came perhaps from dirt colts like Brant, Desert Gate, and Boyd.
Do you want to discover more about the leading 2-year-olds from Del Mar? Here’s our assessment of the top five “first-year” competitors of the session:
5. Intrepido
Intrepido showed some difficulty when commencing in a maiden special weight going 5 ½ furlongs (11/16ths of a mile), achieving fourth. However, the standard of competition was high; the leading two participants later ran first and third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity.
The distance may have been a bit insufficient for Intrepido. When he lengthened out for a one-mile maiden special weight, he developed significantly, contesting through parts of :23.14 and :47.34 before moving forward through a concluding quarter-mile in :24.58 to succeed by 3 ¼ lengths.
Intrepido’s triumphant time of 1:35.71 was commendable for a summer juvenile racing around two turns, indicating this Jeff Mullins trainee has a favorable prospect.
4. Kristofferson
Kristofferson is a son of the 2016 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby champion Nyquist out of a mare by Quality Road, who prevailed in four Grade 1 races over distances from one mile to 1 1/8 miles. This is a family history geared toward triumph racing at least one mile, still Kristofferson controlled to conquer his debut sprinting three-quarters of a mile.
Not only did Kristofferson conquer, he displayed impressive velocity. He disputed for control through sections of :22.01 and :44.89 before marginally advancing to prevail by three-quarters of a length in the notable time of 1:08.83.
Acquired for a significant $1.15 million as a yearling, Kristofferson is trained by six-time Kentucky Derby-winning conditioner Bob Baffert. Anticipate Kristofferson joining the 2025-26 Path to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve.
3. Boyd
Boyd wasn’t quite as costly as Kristofferson, fetching a concluding offer of $1.05 million when traded as a 2-year-old in training. Nonetheless, the Baffert-prepared colt was equally impressive when leading all the way to dominate a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight by 5 ¾ lengths.
The technique in which Boyd attained his debut victory was remarkable. He established quick sections of :21.32 and :43.91, then marked his concluding three-sixteenths of a mile in a reliable :18.88 to journey across the finish line in 1:02.79.
Boyd’s family history is possibly aimed a bit more toward velocity than two-turn stamina, though whether he turns into a 2026 Triple Crown challenger or a leading sprinter, it’s apparent Boyd has aptitude.
2. Desert Gate
Compared to some of his Bob Baffert-prepared stablemates, Desert Gate was a value, trading for $260,000 as a 2-year-old in training. Though the son of three-time Grade 1 conqueror Omaha Beach has already achieved more than most horses ever accomplish.
Following conquering his debut during the spring session at Santa Anita Park, Desert Gate improved in class for Del Mar’s Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes. Conquering couldn’t have been simpler – he contended for the lead and went ahead to prevail by 8 ¾ lengths, finalizing three-quarters of a mile in 1:10.37.
Regrettably, Desert Gate didn’t encounter a faultless journey when making his Grade 1 debut in the Del Mar Futurity. He stumbled at the beginning and became compressed between adversaries, receding to fifth place. In spite of the unexpected alteration in tactics, Desert Gate didn’t give up and rallied to conclude second by one length to our leading first-year participant below.
With a trouble-free journey, possibly Desert Gate could have conquered the Futurity. He stays as one of the top juveniles from the Del Mar session.
1. Brant
On account of his 2-for-2 record and triumph in the Del Mar Futurity, Baffert’s Brant ranks as the top two-year-old from the Del Mar summer session. It’s appropriate for a colt who fetched a $3 million concluding offer when traded as a 2-year-old in training to Amr Zedan, who also possesses Boyd.
Brant created headlines with his runaway triumph in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight at the start of the session. He monitored quick sections of :21.56 and :44.78 in third place before seizing control to defeat a strong field (including Intrepido) by 5 ¼ lengths in 1:02.63. As of this writing, the 101 Beyer Speed Figure Brant received is the highest number posted by any juvenile in 2025.
Brant succeeded with a strong effort in the seven-furlong Del Mar Futurity. This time, he raced to the front through sections of :21.88 and :44.53 before turning back Desert Gate to prevail by one length in the rapid time of 1:21.92.
As a son of the 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner, Brant has the capacity to excel in two-turn races. The 2026 Triple Crown is a practical long-term intention.
