Take two: Instagrand returning to action at Del Mar

The talented Instagrand looks set to kickstart his career again when he faces four rivals in Del Mar’s fourth race on Sunday. The contest is an allowance/optional claiming race for 3-year-olds and up going 6 1/2 furlongs with post time is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET.

The race will mark the first start back for Instagrand since he underwent surgery in May to repair a fractured sesamoid in his left-hind leg. The injury was discovered after the colt finished eighth in the May 4 Pat Day Mile (G3) at Churchill Downs.

On Twitter, trainer Don Chatlos expressed his relief that a comeback race finally filled for this talented charge after a previous comeback attempt was rained out last month at Belmont Park.

Instagrand first made headlines as a 2-year-old when he commanded $1.2 million at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton February Gulfstream Park Sale of 2-year-olds in training. The son of Into Mischief was purchased by Larry Best’s OXO Equine and was sent to Jerry Hollendorfer to train.

The flashy bay colt ran to his looks, breaking his maiden at Los Alamitos by 10 lengths in his first start. He then took the Best Pal Stakes (G2) at Del Mar by 10 1/4 lengths. Foregoing the decision to hit the Kentucky Derby trail, Instagrand was put away for the season, with the idea being to target some bigger prizes later in his sophomore season.

Instagrand returned in March at Aqueduct, where he ran third in the Gotham Stakes (G3). He then finished a good third in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) prior to his start in the Pat Day Mile.

Instagrand, in his first race under Chatlos' care, will break from Post 3 and be ridden by Mike Smith.

The race at Del Mar will not be an easy one for Instagrand, as he will be facing some seasoned competitors. Among them is the Bob Baffert trainee Much Better, a 3-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile who is also coming back after a long layoff. The colt was last seen finishing seventh – but only beaten 3 ½ lengths – in the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park in June.

Much Better has been training superbly for Baffert at Santa Anita in recent weeks with a series of bullet works. He’ll break from Post 2 under Drayden Van Dyke.

Not to be overlooked is the veteran Horse Greedy, a 6-year-old gelding by Horse Greeley trained by John Sadler. While he has yet to win a graded stakes race, Horse Greedy has knocked heads against some of the best in races such as the Triple Bend (G1) and Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1).