Creative Cause made it 2 for 2 in his brief career and asserted himself as an early major player on the nation's 2-year-old scene with a victory in the $150,000 Best Pal Stakes on Sunday at Del Mar.
The odds-on favorite in a field of six juveniles, Creative Cause sat fifth in the early going, moved up to second on the turn and kicked past pacesetter I'll Have Another in the stretch, covering 6-1/2 furlongs under Rafael Bejarano in 1 minute, 15.62 seconds.
''Perfect trip. I couldn't have asked for better,'' Bejarano said.
Creative Cause earned $90,000 for the win and paid $3.60 on a win bet. I'll Have Another held on for second place, and Mighty Monsoon was third.
A gray Kentucky-bred son of Giant's Causeway bought for $135,000 last summer by Heinz Steinmann, Creative Cause is likely to run next in the $250,000 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 7, a Grade 1 that brings with it an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November at Churchill Downs.
''If all goes well, we'll run him in the Futurity,'' trainer Mike Harrington said. ''It's a 'Win and You're In' race, so why wouldn't you run him in it?''
