Southern Equine Stable’s homebred MI SUENO (Pulpit) looked done in midstretch
of Saturday’s $300,000
Darley Debutante S. (G1) at Del Mar, but the Eric Guillot trainee re-rallied
under vigorous encouragement from jockey Michael Baze to get up for the
one-length victory. Sent off the even-money favorite in the eight-filly field,
the juvenile lass ran seven furlongs on the Polytrack in 1:23 3/5.
Mi Sueno settled into fourth as Punctual (Werblin) rushed up to take the lead
through the first quarter in :22 3/5. Necessary Evil (Harlan’s Holiday) was just
a half-length back and put in her own bid for the front on the backstretch, taking
over to set a
split of :45 2/5 for the half-mile. By this point the rest of the field was surging toward
toward the front and those two soon began backing up, along with Mi Sueno who
found herself in sixth down the lane. Baze wouldn’t give up so easily, though,
and urged his mount in between horses to reach the front just in time for the
win.
Mi Sueno was worth $4, $2.60 and $2.20 for taking her second straight graded
score. Runner-up in her first two starts versus maiden special weight opponents
at Hollywood Park, the bay miss made her stakes bow in the Sorrento S. (G3) last
out and finally earned that elusive first victory with a 6 1/2-length romp. This
win pushed her earnings to $288,400 and her line now reads 4-2-2-0.
Blind Luck (Pollard’s Vision) completed the $7.30 Baze exacta ($1), returning
$3.80 and $3.40 as the 4-1 third pick. Tyler Baze took over the ride on the
chestnut filly after named jockey Rafael Bejarano, who just returned to the
saddle following a bad spill on Del Mar’s opening day, complained of pain in his
right thumb on Friday and took off his Saturday mounts. La Nez (Storm Creek)
just missed second by a head while holding third by a neck over It Tiz (Tiznow).
Show gave back $7 at 41-1, and the $1 trifecta paid $99. It Tiz, at 28-1, ended the
6-3-9-5 superfecta ($1) that totaled $456.70.
Repo (In Excess [Ire]), Necessary Evil, Punctual and Ridemetothemoon (Malibu
Moon) completed the order under the wire after Pure Class (Purge) was withdrawn.
Champagne d’Oro (Medaglia d’Oro) was scratched in favor of Monday’s Del Mar
Futurity (G1).
Southern Equine bought out co-breeder Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings when
purchasing Mi Sueno for $1.7 million as a weanling at the 2007 Keeneland
November sale. Mi Sueno’s dam, Madcap Escapade, counts the 2004 Ashland S. (G1)
and 2005 Princess Rooney H. (G2) among her six stakes wins, and she placed in
the Kentucky Oaks (G1). She hails from the multiple stakes-winning Sassy Pants
(Saratoga Six), who is also the dam of Grade 1 queen Dubai Escapade (Awesome
Again) and stakes victor Real Estate (High Yield). Mi Sueno’s fourth dam,
Generous Portion (California Kid), captured the 1970 edition of the Debutante.
Mi Sueno has a pair of
three-quarter siblings by A.P. Indy, a yearling colt and a 2009 filly.