Del Mar Debutante a Rehearsal for BC Juvenile Fillies
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Photo: Benoit Photo
It's dress rehearsal time Sept. 5 at Del Mar for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).
The 2-year-old fillies have dueling grade 1 events at both ends of the continent on the summer-ending holiday weekend but the $300,000 TVG Del Mar Debutante (G1) has the edge, at least on geography, as it's run on the same stage that will host the Nov. 5-6 Breeders' Cup World Championships.
As usual, sorting out the young ones is no easy task, especially with several in the eight-filly field coming directly from maiden victories and one making her first start outside Florida.
Add to that the fact three of the likely favorites drew the three inside gates and the puzzle becomes even more complex.
At the Spa , an Outwork filly, enters undefeated after three starts. The last two were the five-furlong Fasig-Tipton Debutante Stakes at Santa Anita June 20 and the restricted California Breeders' Association Stakes Aug. 5 at Del Mar, that at 5 1/2 furlongs.
At the Spa's dam, Spa Creek , by Smoke Glacken , was a multiple stakes winner on the West Virginia circuit at distances from sprints to 1 1/8 miles.
Umberto Rispoli is booked to ride At the Spa, who races for a partnership, including breeder Terry Lovingier. Jorge Periban trains the filly, who drew the rail.
Elm Drive is 2-for-2 and accounted for the Sorrento Stakes (G2) at Del Mar Aug. 6. The runner-up from that, Eda , was only a head behind the winner in the Sorrento with a bid through the final yards and is set to try again as they stretch out from six furlongs to seven.
Elm Drive, a Mohaymen filly from the Indian Charlie mare Lets Dance Charlie , will fire from the No. 3 gate with Juan Hernandez riding for trainer Phil D'Amato. Eda, a daughter of Munnings out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Show Me , is one of two in the field trained by Bob Baffert, who seeks his third straight win in the Debutante. John Velazquez rides.
Dance to the Music , by Maclean's Music from the Congrats mare Beautified , won at first asking at Del Mar July 24 for trainer Mark Glatt in her only previous start. Ditto Rock the Belles for Luis Mendez Aug. 14. The latter is by Dominus out of the Artie Schiller mare Teryns Song .
The "other Baffert," Grace Adler , a Curlin filly, also won her first and only previous start at Del Mar July 31.
Bicameral , a Constitution filly, enters the grade I affair still a maiden. The Richard Baltas charge finished second in her only previous start, finishing 4 3/4 lengths behind Dance to the Music.
Myfavoritedaughter made her first three starts at Gulfstream Park in May and June, winning for the first time in the last of those efforts, a seven-furlong, off-the-turf event. The Carpe Diem filly has been working at Del Mar for trainer Jeff Engler.
The Del Mar Debutante has been won by such future stars as Bellafina , Songbird , and Chilukki. Baffert has saddled nine winners, including three straight from 1997 through 1999.
In 2017, the only other year Del Mar has hosted the Breeders' Cup, Moonshine Memories won the Debutante, then finished seventh in the Juvenile Fillies.
Del Mar, Sunday, September 05, 2021, Race 10Entries: TVG Del Mar Debutante S. (G1)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1At the Spa (CA)
UMBERTO RISPOLI
123
Jorge Periban
8/1
2
2Eda (KY)
John R. Velazquez
120
Bob Baffert
3/1
3
3Elm Drive (KY)
Juan J. Hernandez
123
Philip D'Amato
5/2
4
4Dance to the Music (KY)
Abel Cedillo
120
Mark Glatt
3/1
5
5Myfavoritedaughter (KY)
Jose Valdivia, Jr.
118
Jeff Engler
8/1
6
6Rock the Belles (KY)
Joe Bravo
118
Luis Mendez
20/1
7
7Grace Adler (KY)
Flavien Prat
120
Bob Baffert
5/1
8
8Bicameral (KY)
Mario Gutierrez
118
Richard Baltas
12/1
