DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) Mastery won the $100,000 Bob Hope Stakes for 2-year-olds by 1 1/4 lengths Saturday at Del Mar for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.
Ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, Mastery ran seven furlongs in 1:23.32 and paid $2.60, $2.10 and $2.10 as the 1-5 favorite.
California Diamond returned $2.60 and $2.10, while Ann Arbor Eddie was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third and paid $2.40 to show.
Mastery won his career debut by 4 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita on Oct. 22. The colt was purchased for $425,000 at the 2015 Keeneland sale.
''We knew he was a nice horse when he broke his maiden, but from what we saw today he could be something,'' Baffert said. ''We didn't have him super cranked for the first out and this one was a lot of him (talent). Now's he's got that experience.''
The victory was worth $60,000.
