American Gal gives Baffert a third Debutante prospect

DEL MAR, Calif. – Bob Baffert said before the meet that he was loaded with 2-year-old fillies, and he was spot on. When American Gal won her debut Sunday, she became the third Baffert-trained prospect for the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 3, following American Cleopatra and Noted and Quoted.

“I might run all three in there,” he said, referring to the Debutante.

Baffert said American Gal, owned by Kaleem Shah, “had been working really well” prior to Sunday’s race.

“We’d never set her down in the morning,” Baffert said. “She got a little stirred up in the paddock, but after that she was fine. She’s a beautiful filly. We’ve always been high on her.”

Shah bred American Gal, who is by his sire Concord Point out of the Ghostzapper mare American Story.

* Jockey Jamie Theriot was fined a total of $150 by Del Mar’s stewards for twice last weekend failing to attend film reviews.