Fairplex Park: Pure Indy has bigger targets after Barretts Debutante

Benoit & Associates

Pure Indy overcomes a slow start to win her maiden on Sept. 1 at Del Mar.

POMONA, Calif. – By the time the Breeders’ Cup rolls around in November, the 2-year-old filly Pure Indy may have perfected the art of playing catch-up.

It worked two weeks ago at Del Mar, where Pure Indy broke slow in a maiden sprint, spotted the leaders eight lengths, then blew past the entire field to win geared down.

Pure Indy wheels right back Saturday at Fairplex Park, where she is favored to win the $100,000 Barretts Debutante. Her connections hope the 6 1/2-furlong stakes is a stepping-stone to the Grade 1 Alcibiades on Oct. 5 at Keeneland and the Breeders’ Cup.

It’s an ambitious plan, and even trainer Craig Dollase admits “she’s playing a little bit of catch-up.” Pure Indy, however, might be up to the challenge. Her smashing debut Sept. 1 hinted at graded stakes potential, and her rivals Saturday are seemingly modest.

Is two weeks between starts too much?

“It can be, but she can probably regress a little bit and still be okay,” Dollase said. “She needs the exposure.”

Pure Indy needs experience if she is to continue on her top-class campaign. And despite the short time between starts, she is a deserving favorite in the 6 1/2-furlong Barretts, restricted to 2-year-old fillies who were offered for sale at a Barretts auction.

A field of 11 entered the stakes, and while Pure Indy is the most exciting and fastest in the lineup – she earned an 81 Beyer first out – she can only win if she catches front-runner Bares Tripper, trained by Peter Miller.

Bares Tripper has not raced since Aug. 8, a designed layoff. She won her career debut July 25 racing gate to wire in an $80,000 maiden claimer, and Miller wheeled her back two weeks later for the Grade 3 Sorrento.

“I brought her back too quick, and she definitely bounced,” Miller said. “In retrospect, it probably was not the wisest move. But she is training fantastic, and I know she likes that track.”

Barest Tripper had the fastest breeze of the 2012 May sale (one furlong in 9.80 seconds) and was purchased for $45,000 by David Lanzman and Jason Wood. Martin Pedroza is scheduled to ride the filly.

Pure Indy was purchased by West Point Thoroughbreds for $195,000 at the March sale of 2-year-olds, but her career was delayed when she got sick this summer. Victor Espinoza will make a rare Fairplex appearance to ride Pure Indy.

Other starters in the Debutante include longshot Miss Derek, a maiden by first-crop sire Brother Derek. Fourth in both starts, she is trained by Dan Hendricks and owned by Cecil Peacock. It is the same team that purchased Brother Derek for $275,000 at Barretts in 2005 and won the Santa Anita Derby with him.

Hendricks, whose Barretts-purchased runners also include stakes winners Gray Slewpy and Don’tsellmeshort, worked Miss Derek five furlongs on the Santa Anita training track to get her accustomed to the tight turns. Jose Valdivia rides.

Other starters include Jerry Hollendorfer-trained Lovely Daughter and Another Flashback, Awe Golly Molly, Akiss Forarose, Economy of Motion, Qiana, Bojour, and also-eligible Wasted At Midnight.