DEL MAR, Calif. – A well-bred filly whose career debut was initially delayed and a stakes filly who is shortening in distance and dropping in class will start over Thursday at Del Mar.
In between the debut of speedster Curtsy in race 1 and a low-odds start by allowance favorite Splendora in race 7 are split divisions of a competitive California-bred allowance turf sprint. Regal Patriot and Sir Rocket top races 4 and 6, respectively.
The richest race Thursday includes the most heavily favored runner on the card. Splendora, a Grade 2 route runner-up in her last two starts, drops into a second-level allowance sprint. Bob Baffert trains Splendora, the 7-5 program favorite who will be shortening from 1 1/8 miles to six furlongs.
“I wanted to shorten her up,” Baffert said. “We weren’t sure about the two turns, the riders [said] maybe she doesn’t want to go that far.”
Splendora can go short. She crushed maiden and allowance sprints, then finished second in the Grade 1 La Brea at seven furlongs before running well, without winning, Grade 2 routes at Santa Anita. Splendora finished second to stablemate Richi in the Santa Maria and was second to stablemate Seismic Beauty in the Santa Margarita.
On class and speed, Splendora stands out. She earned 96 Beyer Speed Figures in each of her last three starts, the highest of anyone in the field. Juan Hernandez rides Splendora.
A fast comeback victory by Scary Fast Ride makes her a contender. Nay V Belle worked a bullet half-mile in 46.80 seconds at Del Mar last week. Others in the allowance field include late-runner Safa, Practical Dream, Getthemoney, and Ooty, a stablemate of Splendora making her U.S. debut.
Ooty won 2 of 5 in Argentina, including a Group 1. The challenge facing Ooty is that South American imports usually are slow to come around in their North American debuts.
“They usually need a race, extra time,” Baffert acknowledged. “But of all the ones I’ve had, she came around really, really [quick]. She showed up in fantastic shape. She’s been working well, she has some speed. I think she’s nice.”
While Ooty and Splendora tackle allowance foes Thursday, a handful of high-class Baffert fillies are on target for the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes on Aug. 2.
“I might have three – Richi, Seismic Beauty, and Hope Road,” Baffert said.
The Hirsch could also include Grade 1 winner Kopion, trained by Richard Mandella.
Mandella-trained Curtsy makes her debut in race 1, a turf sprint for maiden fillies and mares. Although one could argue that nine-start maiden Current Affair is the most likely winner based on recent runner-up finishes behind top rivals, expectations are high for first-time starter Curtsy.
“She’s pretty quick in the morning,” Mandella said. She has never worked on turf, but “I get the feeling she would want it.”
Curtsy, by Into Mischief and produced by Mandella-trained Grade 3 winner Bendable, was in training last year age 2.
“She had a problem last year, I had to stop on her and start over,” Mandella said. He expects Curtsy to run well under jockey Kazushi Kimura.
A California-bred allowance turf sprint Thursday attracted 19 entrants and was split in two divisions. Regal Patriot, the favorite in race 4, returns to his preferred footing after a bad trip at Los Alamitos. If he runs as well on Del Mar turf as twice recently on turf at Santa Anita, Regal Patriot should win.
Race 6 favorite Sir Rocket would have cleared the California-bred condition last out with better luck. He tried to rally along the rail in a turf sprint at Santa Anita, got stopped, angled outside and finished well, but missed by a head. He was best. Mike Smith rides Sir Rocket for trainer Neil Drysdale.
The main rival for Sir Rocket is Travelin’ Show, who is back on turf after a career-best win on dirt at Los Alamitos.
“He came alive, that’s for sure,” trainer Craig Lewis said. “Whether or not he’s a horse that can repeat it here, I do not know.
“My hope is, and this is going to sound crazy, is that he’s just starting to mature,” Lewis said.
Travelin’ Show, a 4-year-old gelding, has won 2 of 14.
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