The sensation that is Faiza looks to get back on track in the Sept. 2 Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies going one mile at Del Mar. A winner of her first five starts, including a runaway 6 1/2-length score in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2) in April, the Girvin filly disappointed last time out as a heavy favorite in the George E. Mitchell Black Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) at Pimlico Race Course.
"When the running started she didn't have that kick that she usually has," Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said. "She ran a good race; she just wasn't good enough. She did everything right but win."
Faiza can still be considered among the leaders of the 3-year-old filly division based on the Santa Anita Oaks and a similarly impressive effort before that in the Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) but she gave up significant ground in the pursuit for championship honors by missing the Kentucky Oaks (G1) due to Baffert's suspension from Churchill Downs Inc. tracks that prevented his sophomores from earning Kentucky Derby (G1) and Oaks qualifying points.
Pretty Mischievous won the Kentucky Oaks and has added two more grade 1s since, leaving Faiza and anyone else with only one plausible path to an Eclipse Award, which would be to win the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). The $150,000 Torrey Pines has previously served as a steppingstone to the Breeders' Cup for West Coast talents like Stellar Wind and Beholder .
Faiza, owned by Michael Lund Petersen, will break from post 9, a tough task for regular rider Flavien Prat with a short run into the first turn aboard a filly that has never made the lead early. This might be the day to try it, though, coming in fresh off a layoff and showing a bullet gate breeze (of 81 at five furlongs) Sunday.
Other contenders in the field of 10 include Ocean Club , a Glen Hill Farm homebred moving back to dirt after a second to Anisette in the San Clemente Stakes (G2T) in July, and Ceiling Crusher , who won a pair of California-bred stakes at Santa Anita Park by 15 1/2 and 17 lengths earlier this season for trainer Doug O'Neill.
The Torrey Pines is race 8 on the undercard of the featured Pacific Classic Stakes (G1). In between those two is the Green Flash Handicap (G3T) featuring an oversubscribed field of veteran turf sprinters. The Green Flash serves as a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: "Win and You're In" race offering a fees-paid berth and expenses-paid travel for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T).
High-weighted Bran (124 pounds) won last year's $1 million Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T) at Kentucky Downs but has not raced since. The gelding was scratched by the state vet the morning of the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) last November.
Lane Way (123) was second to Lieutenant Dan in this race last year.
Motorious (123) was last seen finishing second in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T) on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs.
Beer Can Man (122) won one of this division's toughest annual races, the Turf Monster Stakes (G3T) at Parx Racing, via DQ last summer.
Del Mar, Saturday, September 02, 2023, Race 8Entries: Torrey Pines S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Justique (KY)
Mike E. Smith
118
John A. Shirreffs
8/1
2
2Infinite Diamond (KY)
Joe Bravo
124
Patrick L. Biancone
15/1
3
3Flying Connection (KY)
Umberto Rispoli
124
Todd W. Fincher
15/1
4
4Coffee in Bed (KY)
Juan J. Hernandez
118
Richard E. Mandella
12/1
5
5Olivia Twist (KY)
Antonio Fresu
124
Todd W. Fincher
20/1
6
6Anywho (KY)
Hector Isaac Berrios
120
John W. Sadler
5/1
7
7Ocean Club (KY)
Drayden Van Dyke
122
Thomas F. Proctor
8/1
8
8Pink Ace (KY)
Ramon A. Vazquez
118
Philip D'Amato
20/1
9
9Faiza (KY)
Flavien Prat
124
Bob Baffert
8/5
10
10Ceiling Crusher (CA)
Edwin A. Maldonado
124
Doug F. O'Neill
3/1
Del Mar, Saturday, September 02, 2023, Race 9Entries: Green Flash H. (G3T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Fast Buck (CA)
Diego A. Herrera
122
Cesar DeAlba
6/1
2
2Kid Corleone (CA)
Kent J. Desormeaux
120
Doug F. O'Neill
10/1
3
3Turn On The Jets (IRE)
Hector Isaac Berrios
122
Philip D'Amato
6/1
4
4Silent Poet (ON)
Armando Ayuso
119
John W. Sadler
30/1
5
5Beer Can Man (KY)
Ramon A. Vazquez
122
Philip D'Amato
6/1
6
6Lane Way (KY)
Mike E. Smith
123
Richard E. Mandella
5/1
7
7Noble Reflection (KY)
Mario Gutierrez
120
George Papaprodromou
15/1
8
8Motorious (GB)
Umberto Rispoli
123
Philip D'Amato
4/1
9
9Cherubic Factor (KY)
Antonio Fresu
120
Peter Eurton
15/1
10
10Bran (FR)
Juan J. Hernandez
124
John W. Sadler
5/1
11
11Bus Buzz (CA)
Edwin A. Maldonado
116
Steve R. Knapp
12/1
12
12Packs a Wahlop (KY)
Flavien Prat
116
Jeff Mullins
12/1
13
13Helladic (KY)
Edwin A. Maldonado
115
Ryan Hanson
20/1
14
14Mas Rapido (GB)
Joe Bravo
115
Robert B. Hess, Jr.
20/1
15
15Barristan The Bold (GB)
Geovanni Franco
116
Librado Barocio
30/1