Concave and She’s a Tiger, the top two finishers in the Grade 2 Sorrento on
August 7, highlight a field of eight juvenile fillies in Saturday’s Grade 1,
$300,000 Del
Mar Debutante.
Concave brings a two for two mark into the seven-furlong test, breaking her
maiden on Hollywood Park’s turf first-time out. The Doug O’Neill-trained
daughter of Colonel John rallied determinedly to defeat the front-running She’s
a Tiger while switching to Polytrack in the August 7 Sorrento, earning a
commendable 92 BRIS Speed rating for the half-length decision, and the bay filly
should only appreciate the added distance Saturday given her stamina-laced
pedigree.
Pat Valenzuela picks up the mount on Concave.
She’s a Tiger made a smashing debut at Pleasanton in late June, scoring by
nine lengths as the 1-5 favorite, and followed with a comfortable tally in the
July 13 Landaluce at Hollywood Park as the 3-5 chalk. The Tale of the Cat filly
dueled early in the Sorrento and battled back gamely after being passed in the
stretch, and trainer Jeff Bonde will add blinkers to keep the bay filly more
focused.
She’s a Tiger also receives a rider switch from Frank Alvarado to Hall of
Famer Gary Stevens.
Sprouts exits a victory in the July 19 CTBA for California-breds, but the
speedy filly has had success against open rivals, winning the Cinderella by open
lengths two starts back. Mario Gutierrez sticks with the Edward Freeman charge.
Bob Baffert will send out three starters and Awesome Baby looks like the most
talented member of the bunch following her sharp 4 3/4-length debut score over
the Polytrack on August 4. Martin Garcia rides. Secret Compass broke her maiden
in her second start on July 28 and will be piloted by Joseph Talamo.
Fascinating, who is still a maiden with a pair of third-place finishes to her
credit, rounds out the Baffert trio.
Bajan and Southern Sunshine, the one-two finishers from an August 10 maiden
special weight affair, complete the line-up.
Earlier on the Del Mar program, a nice field of nine older horses will
contest the $90,000
Harry F.
Brubaker at a mile on the main track. Baffert holds a strong hand with Grade
1 winner Liaison, who was scratched from the Pacific Classic field, and Grade 3
scorer Sky Kingdom.
Liaison went winless from eight starts last year, but the four-year-old colt
posted consecutive stakes tallies this sprint, including the Grade 2 Mervyn
LeRoy, and finished second in the Grade 2 Californian two starts back. Sky
Kingdom exits a close runner-up showing in the Grade 3 Cougar II earlier meet.
The Brubaker has also attracted Californian winner Clubhouse Ride, who will
look to turn things around following a pair of unplaced efforts in the Hollywood
Gold Cup and San Diego; Grade 2 turf scorer Wilkinson; and Summer Hit, who
posted a Grade 3 victory two starts back on Tapeta.
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