Top honors for 2-year-old fillies are up for grabs Aug. 31 at Del Mar, and eight runners are expected to vie for them in the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1).
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who has won the Del Mar Debutante seven times, will send out two in the seven-furlong event: Baoma Corp's Bast and Don Alberto Stable's Stellar Sound.
Bast was a $500,000 purchase last year from Taylor Made Sales Agency's consignment to The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale, with Donato Lanni signing as agent for Baoma. The Uncle Mo filly finished second in her lone start, 1 1/4 lengths behind fellow Debutante runner Inspiressa.
Stellar Sound is a half sister to Santa Anita Oaks (G1) runner-up Luminance, who also was trained by Baffert. The homebred daughter of Tapit debuted Aug. 18 at Del Mar, veered out at the start, and rallied to win by half a length.
Inspiressa, trained by John Sadler for Hronis Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Bill Sandbrook, will try to earn back more of her expensive price tag. From the first crop of The Big Beast , the filly sold for $850,000 when consigned by breeder Ocala Stud at the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.
Brian Koriner-trained Pure Xena was also a pricey buy this year, with Jay Em Ess Stable securing her for $370,000 from Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. The Warrior's Reward filly romped to an 11 1/4-length victory after dueling on the lead when she was unveiled July 20.
ERJ Racing, Gary Barber, Dave Kenney, Madaket Stables, and Westside Racing Stable's Comical already has a stakes win on her record and is the most experienced with three starts. But the Doug O'Neill trainee will be looking to rebound from the Aug. 3 Sorrento Stakes (G2), when she set a :22.50 opening quarter before fading to last. That effort followed a neck victory in the July 11 Schuylerville Stakes (G3) at Saratoga Race Course.
O'Neill also will saddle ERJ Racing, Great Friends Stable, and Tom Mansor's Lazy Daisy, a debut winner on the Sorrento undercard.
Sorrento second Powerfulattraction, campaigned by Exline-Border Racing, Robin Christensen, Steve Dorfman, Dan Hudock, and Susanna Wilson, will try to do one better without runaway winner Amalfi Sunrise back. The Arkansas-bred Commissioner filly rallied to earn her stakes placing but was well beaten that day following her winning debut June 29 at Los Alamitos Race Course. The Peter Eurton trainee was a $225,000 purchase by Exline-Border from Wavertree Stables' consignment at the OBS March sale.
Altamira Racing Stable, Socal Seven Racing, and Brian McGoldrick's Leucothea, a 14 1/2-length winner over maiden claiming company Aug. 15 for trainer Peter Miller, was supplemented for $10,000 and rounds out the field.
Del Mar, Saturday, August 31, 2019, Race 9Entries: Del Mar Debutante S. (G1)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Lazy Daisy (KY)
Rafael Bejarano
120
Doug F. O'Neill
20/1
2
2Comical (KY)
Norberto Arroyo, Jr.
123
Doug F. O'Neill
12/1
3
3Pure Xena (KY)
Aaron T. Gryder
120
Brian J. Koriner
6/1
4
4Leucothea (KY)
Abel Cedillo
118
Peter Miller
3/1
5
5Bast (KY)
Drayden Van Dyke
118
Bob Baffert
7/2
6
6Powerfulattraction (AR)
Joseph Talamo
118
Peter Eurton
8/1
7
7Inspiressa (FL)
Victor Espinoza
120
John W. Sadler
5/2
8
8Stellar Sound (KY)
Mike E. Smith
120
Bob Baffert
6/1