Princess Noor Looks to Score in Del Mar Debutante

Princess Noor, another in the seemingly endless list of potential "world-beaters" from the Bob Baffert barn, and Sorrento Stakes (G2) winner My Girl Red head a field of six for the $250,000 Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) Sept. 6 at Del Mar. They drew alongside each other, Princess Noor in post 4 and My Girl Red in post 3, in the seven-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies.

Baffert, who also entered Illumination, is going for his ninth Debutante and back-to-back scores following Bast last year. He trails only D. Wayne Lukas, who has nine Debutante winners.

In Princess Noor's only start, a 5 1/2-furlong maiden race Aug. 22 at Del Mar, she scored smartly by 2 1/2 lengths as the 7-10 favorite under jockey Victor Espinoza, who is back aboard. She is the 8-5 morning-line favorite. 

Owned by Zedan Racing Stables, Princess Noor has been impressive all year. Agent Gary Young purchased her from Top Line Sales for a sale-topping $1.35 million at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. She breezed the fastest quarter-mile at the sale preview, going in :20 1/5.

International Equities Holding bred the daughter of Not This Time  out of the graded stakes-winning Wilko mare Sheza Smoke Show in Kentucky.

From the first crop of 2014 Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Texas Red , My Girl Red races for Erich Brehm, who bred her in Kentucky from the Fusaichi Pegasus mare Morakami. 

Keith Desormeaux, the trainer of Texas Red, conditions My Girl Red. He unveiled the filly at Santa Anita Park, where she won a 4 1/2-furlong maiden race by 4 1/4 lengths. In the six-furlong Sorrento, she scored by 4 3/4 lengths. Flavien Prat has ridden My Girl Red in both of her races and is slated to ride her again.

"The horse to beat is the Texas Red filly," Baffert said. "A lot of people are behind with their 2-year-olds, so you'll see a lot of maidens in these types of races."

Illumination drew post 5 for a partnership headed by George Bolton. She cost $900,000 at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale. In her only start, the Kentucky-bred daughter of Medaglia d'Oro  ran second in an Aug. 15 maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar. 

Two daughters of Uncle Mo  have been entered: maiden winner Roll Up Mo Money and Get On the Bus, who in her only start finished second in the Sorrento. Jeff Mullins trains Roll Up Mo Money for a partnership headed by breeder Dale Taylor. Drayden Van Dyke will ride her from post 2. Doug O'Neill trains Get On the Bus for Reddam Racing. Mario Gutierrez rides the filly, who drew the rail.

Forest Caraway, a supplemental entry, drew post 6 with Ricardo Gonzalez named to ride. Peter Miller trains the daughter of Bodemeister  for Phoenix Thoroughbreds. Forest Caraway won in her only start Aug. 15 at Del Mar. 

Entries: Del Mar Debutante S. (G1)

Del Mar, Sunday, September 06, 2020, Race 9

• Grade I
• 7f
• Dirt
• $250,000
• 2 yo Fillies
• 5:10 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Get On the Bus (KY)	Mario Gutierrez	120	Doug F. O'Neill	8/1
2	2Roll Up Mo Money (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	122	Jeff Mullins	12/1
3	3My Girl Red (KY)	Flavien Prat	124	J. Keith Desormeaux	3/1
4	4Princess Noor (KY)	Victor Espinoza	122	Bob Baffert	8/5
5	5Illumination (KY)	Abel Cedillo	120	Bob Baffert	4/1
6	6Forest Caraway (KY)	Ricardo Gonzalez	122	Peter Miller	7/2