Mastery lives up to name in CashCall Futurity

Dec 12, 2016 Jennifer Caldwell/Brisnet.com

Cheyenne Stables LLC’s Mastery romped by 7 1/4 lengths on Saturday as the 1-5 favorite in the $300,000 CashCall Futurity (G1) at Los Alamitos.

By doing so, the dark bay son of Candy Ride made his debut on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard in the fifth spot with 10 points. The CashCall Futurity was the final Kentucky Derby points race for two-year olds in 2016 and awarded points on a 10-4-2-1 basis.

Mastery was the beneficiary of the 10 points under jockey Mike Smith. The duo dueled with pacesetter Bobby Abu Dhabi through splits of :23.37, :45.65 and 1:09.53 before taking command of the 1 1/16-mile affair. Mastery drew off to stop the clock in 1:41.56 for trainer Bob Baffert.

Maiden Irap, the 23-1 longest shot in the five-horse field, followed in second to take home four points, good for position 15 on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard. Dangerfield filled the third spot another 5 3/4 lengths back, which moved him to 13th on the leaderboard; the bay colt previously ran third in the Delta Downs Jackpot (G3) and boasts four total points after earning two for each race.

Bobby Abu Dhabi was making just his second career start in this spot after breaking his maiden on November 19 at Del Mar and debuted on the leaderboard in position 24 with one point after fading to fourth. Show Me Da Lute, stablemate to Mastery, completed the order of finish.

Mastery is now three-for-three, having previously captured his maiden by 4 1/4 lengths on October 22 at Santa Anita Park and wired the November 19 Bob Hope Stakes (G3) at Del Mar by 1 1/4 lengths. He’s now banked $271,200 in lifetime earnings.

Bred in Kentucky by Stone Farm, Mastery is out of the Old Trieste mare Steady Course, who is a half-sister to Grade 2-scoring sire Jump Start.