High Velocity’s gate-to-wire victory in the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes for 2-year-olds on Saturday at Del Mar was more impressive visually than it was on the clock. Final time for the seven-furlong race was 1:23.16, which translated to an 81 Beyer. That is the second-lowest figure for the Bob Hope (previously the Hollywood Prevue) since Beyers were first published in 1991. The lowest was 76, earned by 2014 winner No Problem.

Bob Hope additional notes:

The 81 Beyer by High Velocity ranks 81st on the list of 2019 Beyers earned by 2-year-old males on dirt. Independence Hall (101) and Dennis’ Moment (97) top the list.

High Velocity’s win was trainer Bob Baffert’s 10th in the Bob Hope/Hollywood Prevue.

High Velocity’s next start is undetermined. If he goes in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 7, he would follow the same path as Baffert-trained 2016 Hope-Futurity winner Mastery.

Five of the last 25 Hope/Prevue winners won the Los Alamitos/Hollywood Futurity next out: Mastery (2014), Shared Belief (2013), Declan’s Moon (2004), Lion Heart (2003) and Afternoon Deelites (1994).

High Velocity ($4) was second choice in the betting, behind 9-10 runner-up Strongconstitution. Dirt-sprint win rate for favorites after five days of the Del Mar autumn meet: 47 percent (9-for-19).