It’s a double dose of 2-year-old stakes races on the final weekend of the Del Mar summer season featuring robust fields that could produce big payoffs for horseplayers.
Saturday’s Races
The $300,000 Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) for 2-year-old fillies going a mile features a pair of Bob Baffert-trained fillies Nooni and Tenma in a field of seven. It’s Race 4 with a 7 p.m. ET post time.
The $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf Sprint for 2-year-olds going 1 mile has a field of 12, including a pair from Phil D’Amato’s barn (Thought Process, Madonna of Loreto), a pair from Peter Miller’s barn (Caitlin Fever, Twirling Light), Baffert’s Casalu. It’s Race 5 with a 6:30 p.m. post time.
Three-year-old and up fillies and mares take center stage in the $250,000 John C. Mabee Stakes (G2), with D’Amato saddling three of the seven runners — Hang the Moon, Lucky Girl, and Uncorked.
On Sunday, it’s the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity (G1) and Del Mar Juvenile Turf (G3).
For those who bet horse racing, a closer look at Saturday’s stakes:
Del Mar Debutante Stakes
Nooni favored in Debutante; Anisette-Didia rematch in John C. Mabee
Baffert sends out 4-5 morning-line favorite Nooni and 4-1 third-choice Tenma as the Hall of Fame trainer seeks an 11th victory in the 7-furlong sprint for 2- year-old fillies.
Nooni, a $1.8 million purchase by Amr Zedan, is 2-for-2 with a 9 ½-length winning debut at 5 furlongs on June 13 at Santa Anita, followed by a 1 ½-length win in the Sorrento Stakes (G3) on Aug. 10 at Del Mar.
Vodka With a Twist, at 4-1 for trainer Phil D’Amato, ran second in the Sorrento, and appears to be the top challenger with Mike Smith aboard.
Tenma won her career debut by a neck on Aug. 18 at Del Mar and will be ridden by Kazushi Kimura.
The field of seven also includes Proud Starlet (15-1), So There She Was (15-1), Night Beacon (20-1), and Jack’s Magic Girl (8-1).
The picks: 1 Nooni 2 Vodka With a Twist 3 Tenma
John C. Mabee Stakes
The race shapes up as a showdown between 4-year-old Anisette (7-5) and 6-year-old Didia (the 4-5 favorite), both multiple Grade 1 winners.
Didia topped Anisette by 1 ¾ lengths in the Rodeo Drive (G2) at Santa Anita last October. Since then, Anisette, trained by Leonard Powell, has won three in a row – the American Oaks (G1) on Dec. 26, the Gamely (G1) on May 27, both at Santa Anita; and the Yellow Ribbon Handicap (G2) last month.
Umberto Rispoli has the call leaving from post 1. The filly has a stellar record of 11-7-3-0 and earnings of $906,871. She’s also 3-for-3 at Del Mar.
Trained by Ignacio Correas IV, Argentina-bred Didia ran fourth in the Diana Stakes (G1) on July 13 at Saratoga and has compiled a 18-11-2-1 record and earnings of $1,563,484. Didia will be ridden by Hector Berrios out of post 6.
When the two met last year, they ran in midpack until the stretch, then dueled for the lead before Didia pulled clear.
Two challengers should be Uncorked and Fuenta Ovejuna, who dead-heated for second, 1 ¼ lengths behind Anisette.
The picks: 1 Anisette 2 Uncorked 3 Didia
Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf
Thought Process is the 9-5 favorite coming off an impressive 3 ½-length win at a mile in her second career start, but first on the turf. She ran third in her debut on the dirt. Both races were at Del Mar.
Casalu, a winner on dirt in her career debut, ran third in the Sorrento and tries the turf for the first time. The filly is the second choice at 7-2.
Fondest Dream is the 5-1 second choice for trainer Richard Baltas. The England-bred filly won her maiden at Brighton in April and will be ridden by Antonio Fresu.
With a field of 12 2-year-olds, this one could produce a surprise or two.
The picks: 1 Super Speed 2 Thought Process 3 Caitlin Fever
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.
