Budding rivalry resumes in Wine Country Debutante

They may not make you forget Phelps-Lochte, Affirmed-Alydar, or Ali-Frazier, but Sunday’s $50,000-added Wine Country Debutante at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa will mark the continuation of a blossoming rivalry between the 2-year-old fillies Only You Babe and Unbroken Code.

The fair’s closing day also will feature the $50,000-added Cavonnier Juvenile for 2-year-olds, which rematches Right Hand Man and Aqua Frio, the top two finishers in a Santa Anita maiden race.

Both 2-year-old stakes will be run at six furlongs.

The Ed Moger Jr.-trained Unbroken Code edged Only You Babe by a neck in her debut May 21 at Golden Gate Fields. The Steve Specht-trained Only You Babe won a maiden race in her next start and then turned the tables on Unbroken Code, winning the Juan Gonzalez Memorial at the Oak Tree at Pleasanton meet by a nose.

Unbroken Code, a Wilburn filly, was a $20,000 Arizona yearling purchase by Curt and Lila Lanning.

Only You Babe is a Larry and Marianne Williams homebred by Thorn Song whose half-sister Can Can Babe was second in the Wine Country Debutante in 2014.

In the maiden race at 4 1/2 furlongs, Only You Babe set the early pace but lost a stretch-long duel to Unbroken Code. They were never separated by more than a half-length.

In her next start, Only You Babe got off slowly from the rail and rallied to win by 1 3/4 lengths going five furlongs.

In the 5 1/2-furlong Juan Gonzalez Memorial, the two were last and next to last down the backstretch, with Unbroken Code leading Only You Babe. Only You Babe outfinished Unbroken Code despite hesitating when jockey Frank Alvarado asked her to move outside of horses in the lane.

Specht speculates that she was distracted by the cheering crowd.

“She just got up, but Frank had a little trouble with her in the lane,” Specht said.

Specht is hopeful that Santa Rosa’s longer stretch will play in Only You Babe’s favor Sunday, and he thinks she’ll eventually go long.

With only two races under her belt, Unbroken Code doesn’t really have a style of running yet, said Moger.

“She just has to run her own race,” he said.

Shari, third in Only You Babe’s maiden victory, and Doowop Shedoo, who closed nicely to win her debut here despite trouble, also could be factors in the Wine Country Debutante.

Cavonnier Juvenile: Another rematch

The Cavonnier Juvenile may come down to Right Hand Man and Aqua Frio, who each have run twice.

Right Hand Man led all the way to defeat Aqua Frio by 1 1/2 lengths going five furlongs on June 10 at Santa Anita. Both faced very tough company in their subsequent start.

Right Hand Man pressed the pace before fading to sixth behind one-two finishers California Diamond and Green With Eddie in the Santa Anita Juvenile. California Diamond and Green With Eddie went on to run one-two in the Graduation Stakes at Del Mar, with Green With Eddie turning the tables.

Aqua Frio had the misfortune of running into the Bob Baffert-trained Klimt in another Santa Anita maiden race. Aqua Frio led early in the 5 1/2-furlong race, but Klimt cruised past him en route to a 5 1/4-length win. Aqua Frio held on for second.

Klimt was entered back Saturday in the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar.