Bullard © Benoit Photo

Six juveniles have signed on to run seven furlongs Sunday at Del Mar in the 44th presentation of the Bob Hope Stakes, a $100,000 test that carries Grade III credentials.

Five of the colts are already winners, while the sixth will be making his racing debut.

Naturally enough, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert is well represented in the 2-year-old sprint. Naturally enough besides, the white-haired conditioner has history in the race. There have been 10 runnings of the test – formerly known as the Hollywood Prevue Stakes and run previously 34 times at the now-closed Los Angeles track – here at Del Mar and Mr. Baffert has visited the winner’s circle after seven of them, including the last three in a row.

He’ll be represented once again this go-round by a pair of colts owned by the substantial partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, et al’s Kalea Bay and Madaket Road.

The former gets top rider Juan Hernandez to do the driving and the son of Authentic – who was bid in for $700,000 at last September’s Keeneland sale – comes into the race off a handy score in a straight maiden sprint at Santa Anita on September 28. His stablemate, a Quality Road offspring who fetched $650,000 as a yearling at the Saratoga sale last August, begins his career in the Hope off a series of sparkling drills at both Los Alamitos and Santa Anita, several of them of the “bullet” variety. He’ll get Antonio Fresu to handle him for this first outing.

The just-by-a-tick morning line favorite for the heat is St Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds’ first-out winner Bullard, a Gun Runner colt who came running late to capture his debut on September 1 at Del Mar. Mike McCarthy conditions the youngster, who drew a bid of $675,000 at the Keeneland sale last September. Umberto Rispoli once again will be in the boot.

Here’s the complete field for the Hope from the rail out with riders and morning line odds:  Amestoy, Amestoy Jr or Beasley’s McKinzie Street (Kazushi Kimura, 2-1); The Del Mar Group’s Dr Ruben M (Edwin Maldonado, 20-1); Kalea Bay (9/5); Madaket Road (10-1); Bullard (8/5), and Ball, Devore, Wells, et al’s Maximus (Diego Hdrrera, 15-1).

McKinzie Street, a son of the young sire McKinzie who brought $290,000 at a 2-year-old in training sale in Florida in April, scored at first asking at Del Mar on July 28, then was stakes-placed twice – first in the Del Mar Futurity where he finished second to Gaming, then when he ran third in the American Pharoah at Santa Anita behind Citizen Bull, who went on to capture the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar on November 1. He’s trained by Tim Yakteen.

The Bob Hope will be Race 8 on a nine-race program. Post time for the stakes will be approximately 4 p.m.