This weekend marks the closing days of the exciting summer racing season at Del Mar in California. Closing weekend also represents some exciting action from the juvenile ranks with the first grade 1s for the newly minted crop of potential superstars, Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1) contenders, based on the West Coast.
On Saturday, the main event is the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante (G1), which has been carded as the 6th on the day. Contested at seven furlongs since 1993, it is absolutely the race the big connections want to win at the end of the summer before heading back to real life about 100 miles North at Santa Anita in Arcadia.
It’s supposed to be a gorgeous weekend again “Down at Ol’ Del Mar” with sunny skies and afternoon highs in the mid-70s all weekend.
Since it was first contested in 1951, some very familiar filly names made it to the Del Mar Debutante winner’s circle, including Terlingua (1978), who is better known as the dam of the great sire Storm Cat; the ill-fated champion Landaluce (1982); Sharp Cat (1996), a multiple grade 1-winning millionaire; Chilukki (1999), who would go on to win the division’s Eclipse Award that year; and many more.
And since Brave Raj, the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) winner who cruised home to win the Debutante under Laffit Pincay Jr. in 1984, some historically significant girls have won the race before going on to win on Breeders' Cup Day, including Halfbridled (2003), Sweet Catomine (2004), Stardom Bound (2008), She’s a Tiger (2013) and Songbird (2015). Other notable winners include millionaire Bellafina (2018) and Tamara (2023), the daughter of champion and fan favorite Beholder.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert owns the record for most winners in many stakes races in Southern California and this event is no exception. He’s saddled a whopping ten winners, including four of the last six years. Gary Stevens and Bill Shoemaker each rode five winners over their amazing Hall of Fame careers.
The highest win payout was the $40.80 Rue De Palm returned when she was victorious in 1989 and the aforementioned Terlingua rewarded her backers with just $2.20 in her 1978 score.
The race was awarded grade 1 status in 1996. In 1956, Frosty Dawn crossed the wire first but was disqualified after being determined ineligible, so Lady Cover Up ws declared the winner. In 1988 Approved to Fly won, but was bumped to second for interference and Lea Lucinda had her photo taken after being awarded the victory.
Baffert returns this year seeking an 11th win for the talented filly with three, including Explora, a $350,000 2-year-old in training owned by his longtime friends the Three Amigos (Pegram, Watson and Weitman). The speedy Blame filly broke her maiden on debut in dazzling fashion by 4 ½ lengths on August 17 in what can only be described as a hand ride. She earned huge numbers for the effort and is the filly to beat, her main drawback is her innermost post position which, as most know, is a difficult obstacle at the distance at Del Mar. It’s crucial she break on top and get to the front and clear quickly out of the gate to gain her preferred position on the lead, something jockey Juan Hernandez is likely very clear on. A good break may be all she needs to set sail for her first stakes win.
The favorite’s stablemate, Baoma Corp.'s undefeated Himika, breaks from the gate just to her inside. The $900,000 daughter of Curlin won the Sorrento Stakes (G3) last out and returns off that Debutante prep win with some good workouts, including a bullet five-eighths in :58.60 last week. In both her races she’s showed she could sit off the early pace and rally, which she will likely need to do with her speedy stablemate to her inside. She also earned some big numbers in her two races so if the favorite fails at all, this one is in a prime position to pick up the pieces for a win.
So while we’re talking about Baffert, it makes sense to take a look at his third runner here, his wife Jill’s horse Bottle of Rouge. The Vino Rosso filly, who was surprisingly less expensive than her barnmates at $100,000, looked super impressive breaking her maiden by 6 ¾ lengths in her second start over this track after a second in her first start at Santa Anita back in mid-June. She’s also shown she can sit a bit off the pace, which can only help her chances here. Her numbers aren’t as high as the top two overall, but she’s a solid filly with a bright future who doesn’t need to improve much to connect here.
Spendthrift Farm paid $325,000 for Bourbon and Ginger at Keeneland a year ago and she had a nice half-length win over the track in her debut a month ago. The Richard Mandella-trained daughter of Spendthrift stallion Bolt d’Oro is absolutely bred to appreciate the added furlong and a half, so the stretch-out may make all the difference.
Ruis Racing’s homebred Grandma Mary is also a daughter of Bolt d’Oro and should like the added distance off her second-place finish to Bourbon and Ginger in her debut. She certainly is talented and has a bright future and looks like a must-use in all exotics, especially exactas and trifectas.
La Wally, a nicely bred daughter of Constitution, had a nice debut to just get up across the wire by a nose six weeks ago. She will be one to benefit from the hot early pace and if she handles the step-up in class will be an attractive prospect at a decent price.
Fourlynnes makes her third start after breaking her maiden for a tag here nine days ago. That’s a lot for any horse, but especially a baby. Toss in the jump in class and it’s best to look elsewhere when betting.
We hate to do it, but the odds-on outcome of this event looks like it’ll be a Bob Baffert-trained trifecta.
1 Explora (Juan Hernandez, Bob Baffert), 8-5
2 Himika (Kazushi Kimura, Bob Baffert), 2-1
3 Fourlynnes (Luis Mendez, Hector Barrios), 20-1
4 Grandma Mary (Mick Ruis Sr., Ricardo Gonzalez), 8-1
5 Bottle of Rouge (Mike Smith, Bob Baffert), 5-1
6 La Wally (Antonio Fresu, Mark Glatt), 10-1
7 Bourbon and Ginger (Richard Mangella, Mirco Dimuro), 8-1
Post time for the Del Mar Debutante will be at 4:08 p.m. PT.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
