Grade 1 scorer Grace Adler tops a formidable Bob Baffert trio, and turf stakes winner Cairo Memories will make her main track debut in Saturday’s $300,000 Starlet S. (G1) at Los Alamitos.
As Kentucky Oaks qualifier, the 1 1/16-mile Starlet offers points on a 10-4-2-1 scale. However, Baffert-trained horses aren’t eligible to earn points in the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series.
A debut winner in late July, Grace Adler followed with an 11-length romp in the Del Mar Debutante (G1) in her second outing. The daughter of Curlin faltered when trying two turns in the Chandelier S. (G2) at Santa Anita, checking in a well-beaten fifth as the odds-on choice, and the chestnut will return from a two-month freshening with regular rider Flavien Prat.
Eda, a convincing winner of the Anoakia S. and Desi Arnaz S. in her last two, will try two turns for Baffert. Favored at 1-5 odds in the last two, the Munnings filly will add the services of Juan Hernandez.
Benedict Canyon, a frontrunning maiden winner two back, will also stretch out in distance for Baffert. Last seen finishing a non-threatening third in the Anoakia, the Midnight Lute filly is eligible to show speed with Edwin Maldonado.
Cairo Memories opened her racing career with a pair of sharp turf victories, including the Surfer Girl S. at Santa Anita, before recording an unplaced effort in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). By Cairo Prince, the gray lass will try dirt for Bob Hess Jr. Kent Desormeaux has the call.
Chandelier third-placer Desert Dawn, last of six in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), and Desi Arnaz runner-up Tonito’s completes the six runners.
