Starlet Could Sort Out California's Juvenile Fillies

Los Alamitos Race Course can sort out the California 2-year-olds with its year-end graded stakes, and the Dec. 7 Starlet Stakes (G2) has attracted a field with a wide range of experience. The seven include the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) runner-up, a nine-length maiden winner, and three from the Bob Baffert barn, all with black type.

Vodka With a Twist  stands out based on existing accomplishments, not only because she ran second to Immersive  in the Breeders' Cup but also because she has the most earnings ($639,320) and the most starts (six). The Kentucky-bred, also by far the least expensive as a $2,500 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale purchase, has some Los Alamitos history, being a daughter of Thousand Words  , winner of the 2019 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2).

Jason McCutchen trained Vodka With a Twist through her first two starts in Kentucky, and she broke her maiden in her second start. Following a private sale to owners Medallion Racing, Omar Aldabbagh, Bill Strauss, BlackRidge Stables, and Schwing Thoroughbreds, Phil D'Amato then took over her training, and Vodka With a Twist won the Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs and ran second in two Del Mar graded stakes before the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar.

Vodka With a Twist, who will be ridden in the 1 1/16-mile Starlet for the first time by Kyle Frey, finished 4 1/2 lengths behind victorious Immersive  in the Breeders' Cup.

"In the end, she just fought every step of the way and she got beat by a really nice filly," D'Amato said after the Breeders' Cup.

Aunt Mo , a daughter of Uncle Mo   trained by Peter Eurton, broke her maiden in her third start by nine lengths and is making her stakes debut. 

Baffert's trio will justifiably receive a lot of support. Baffert has won the last seven consecutive runnings of the Starlet, three with horses owned by Charlie and Susan Chu's Baoma, which also owns Starlet entrant Tenma . The latter, a daughter of Nyquist   won the Sept. 7 Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) in her second start and then finished third in the Oak Leaf Stakes (G2). Tenma will race with blinkers off.

Zedan Racing Stables' Nooni , another of Baffert's Starlet runners, won the Sorrento Stakes (G3), followed by a fifth in the Del Mar Debutante, a second in the Oak Leaf, and a sixth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. The daughter of Win Win Win   also races with blinkers off.

Mawu , a daughter of Blame  , is the least experienced of the Baffert trio. Also owned by Baoma, Mawu broke her maiden in her debut and finished third in the seven-furlong Desi Arnaz Stakes Nov. 16 at Del Mar.

Practical Dream  won the Desi Arnaz. Tim Yakteen trains the daughter of Practical Joke  . She has two wins and a second.

Trainer Michael McCarthy has entered Look Forward . The daughter of Bolt d'Oro   won her racing debut Nov. 8 in fast time at Del Mar for trainer Ben Cecil, who died Nov. 29 from cancer. McCarthy served as an assistant for Cecil before assisting Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and later launching his training career.