Himika One of Three Baffert Entries in Starlet

Should Himika  win the Dec. 6 Starlet Stakes (G2), she could add to some very impressive accomplishments. She would not only give trainer Bob Baffert his ninth consecutive victory in the Los Alamitos Race Course | BloodHorse.com Track Profile">Los Alamitos Race Course race, she would become the fifth to do so for owners Charlie and Susan Chu.

The Chus' Baoma Corp also owned Starlet winners Tenma  in 2024, Eda  in 2021, Varda  in 2020, and Bast  in 2019. All but Bast came out of an Ocala Breeders' Sales 2-year-old in training sale, as did Himika. The daughter of Curlin   cost $900,000 at this year's OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

Since then, Himika has started six times, winning the 6-furlong Sorrento Stakes (G3) Aug. 10 at Del Mar and 6-furlong Anoakia Stakes Oct. 19 at Santa Anita Park. In between, Himika finished fourth in the 7-furlong Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) and fifth in the 1 1/16-mile Oak Leaf Stakes (G2).

"I was happy that she was back to winning form," Baffert said after the Anoakia. "She basically told us, no two turns for now, but maybe down the road."

Himika demonstrated that now may be that time after a second to Revera  in the 7-furlong Desi Arnaz Stakes Nov. 16 at Del Mar. The Starlet is at 1 1/16 miles.

But as often happens in these stakes, the primary competition will come from within Himika's own barn. And Himika loses jockey Juan Hernandez, who has opted for another of Baffert's runner. Tyler Baze will ride Himika for the first time.

Hernandez will be aboard Nimah , a daughter of Gun Runner   and a $550,000 yearling purchase at Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale in 2024. Zedan Racing Stables owns Nimah, who scored by 1 3/4 lengths in her only outing, a Nov. 23 maiden race at Del Mar, under Hernandez.

The jockey has also piloted the third Baffert Starlet entrant, Juddmonte's homebred Consequent . A daughter of Into Mischief  , Consequent is 1-for-1 as well, having taken a Nov. 14 maiden contest at Del Mar by a half-length. Kazushi Kimura takes over from Hernandez.

Trainer Doug O'Neill has entered two in the Starlet: Cashed  and Cosmic Heat . Cosmic Heat is new to O'Neill's barn, having been trained by Peter Eurton in her two previous starts. The daughter of Maxfield   finished third in the Desi Arnaz after breaking her maiden.

Reddam Racing's Cashed is a winning California-bred daughter of J. Paul Reddam's champion I'll Have Another , and she most recently finished second in the Oct. 31 Golden State Juvenile Fillies Stakes at Del Mar for California-bred and -sired runners. O'Neill is taking blinkers off Cashed for the Starlet.

Jewlz , trained by Peter Miller, rounds out the field. The daughter of Bee Jersey   most recently broke her maiden in her fifth start, getting the job done in $32,000 maiden claiming company Nov. 22 at Del Mar.