Nooni Flashes Her Speed in Sorrento Score

Nooni  looked every bit worthy of her $1.8 million price tag with her emphatic score in the $147,000 Sorrento Stakes (G3) Aug. 10 at Del Mar. The Bob Baffert-trained filly cleared the field only strides into the six-furlong contest for juveniles and cruised home in her black-type debut, becoming the first graded stakes winner for freshman sire Win Win Win  .

The buzz around the Zedan Racing Stables' runner had been humming since Nooni topped the Ocala Breeders' March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. She wouldn't disappoint in her first outing, graduating by 9 1/2 lengths at the startlingly low odds of 1-5 at Santa Anita Park June 13.

With the scratch of the Wesley Ward-trained White Sands , who opted to face males instead in the Aug. 11 Best Pal Stakes (G3), only three rivals were left to face Nooni. Among them were Debutante Stakes victress Vodka With a Twist  and stablemate and explosive Del Mar debut winner Casalu .

J.J. Hernandez played the role of passenger to perfection aboard Nooni, sitting quietly as the filly rolled through early splits of :21.87 and :44.90. Never turning a hair as she rounded the turn for home, Nooni strode to the wire, responding willingly in deep stretch when challenged briefly by a closing Vodka With a Twist.

"I had to push her a little at the end, but we did it," Hernandez said. "I asked her to run around the quarter pole and she switched leads and picked it up really well. You know, she gave me another good breath and she took another good step. It's only her second race but she looks really good so far. Can't wait to see how she improves."

Nooni ($3), this time bet down to 1-2, stopped the timer in 1:10.41.

Vodka With a Twist finished second 1 1/2 lengths behind the winner in her first trip to the West Coast after winning her last two starts in Kentucky for trainer Phil D'Amato. Casalu, who chased Nooni early, was third over Night Beacon  in fourth.

"They went fast early but I like the way Nooni kept on going," Baffert said. "I haven't really trained her that hard but she's just got real class.

"She acted perfect in the paddock like she's been here before. We're just blessed to have a filly like that."

The Sorrento is the local stepping stone for the Sept. 7 Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) going seven furlongs for 2-year-old fillies at the meet's end. Baffert has won the Del Mar Debutante an unprecedented 10 times.

Bred in Florida by Ocala Stud, Joseph O'Farrell III, and David O'Farrell et al., Nooni capped a big day for first crop sire Win Win Win. The grade 1-winning son of Hat Trick sired his first stakes winner earlier Saturday when Win N Your In  triumphed in the Sharp Susan Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Nooni is the second winner produced by the Union Rags   mare Unanimity. The mare hails from the family of grade 1 winners Discreet Cat, Discreetly Mine, and Pretty Discreet.