Debut Beyer Speed Figure points out Pretty N Cool
DEL MAR, Calif. – The 2-year-old male division has gained focus at Del Mar, where last weekend Nyquist scored a flashy stakes win and Young Brian romped in a maiden race. On Wednesday, it is the 2-year-old fillies’ turn to sort themselves out.
Eight were entered in the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes, including program favorite Pretty N Cool, whose runaway debut win earned the top Beyer Speed Figure of the season by a juvenile of either gender.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Pretty N Cool. Trainer Bob Baffert is 8-1-0-1 with a $0.42 ROI over the past two years in sprints in the second career start with juveniles who won their debut. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Bob Baffert trains Pretty N Cool, who splashed her way to a 95 Beyer over a sloppy track July 19 at Del Mar. She will be running on a fast track Wednesday in the 6 1/2-furlong Sorrento, facing legitimate rivals in Uptown Twirl and Right There.
Uptown Twirl scored a sharp debut win June 18, after which trainer John Sadler circled the Sorrento for her second start. As for Right There, she made her most recent start June 21, winning the $125,000 Landaluce Stakes at Santa Anita by nearly five lengths.
Two other Sorrento entrants will scratch. Northern California-based Stays in Vegas runs Friday at Santa Rosa in a $50,000 stakes, according to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Sooner Time will run Thursday at Del Mar in a starter allowance, trainer Pete Eurton said.
The Sorrento outsiders are recent maiden winners Gomo, Undisputed, and One True Kiss. That leaves an expected field of six, with three top contenders – Pretty N Cool, Uptown Twirl, and Right There.
Key contenders
Pretty N Cool (Beyer: 95)
Pretty N Cool will be making her second career start and her first on a fast track after winning her debut by more than four lengths. Prior to her only start, she posted a series of sharp works on fast going.
The maiden win by Pretty N Cool was validated Sunday when the filly she beat returned to finish a promising second.
Pretty N Cool, a $160,000 yearling by Scat Daddy, will be ridden by Martin Garcia.
Baffert has won the Sorrento six times; Garcia is seeking his first Sorrento win.
Uptown Twirl (Beyer: 73)
Uptown Twirl, a daughter of Twirling Candy purchased for $630,000 at a sale of 2-year-olds in training, won her debut nearly two months ago as the odds-on favorite. “I didn’t train her super-hard for the first one,” Sadler said. “What I wanted to do was to give her good spacing, so I got it, from June.”
Sadler put four Del Mar works into Uptown Twirl, including a best-of-the-morning six furlongs July 30. “That was on a heavy track, and that’s key – being able to work over this surface.”
Victor Espinoza rode Uptown Twirl in her debut and rides her in the Sorrento.
Right There (Beyers: 56-53)
Runner-up against maidens in her debut, Right There stretched out to 5 1/2 furlongs and won the Landaluce.
She should improve the farther she runs. “She’s bred and made for a distance,” trainer Keith Desormeaux said.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Right There. Trainer Keith Desormeaux is 18-0-4-3 over the past five years with juvenile last-out winners Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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The Beyers earned by Right There are the lowest in the field.
“Numbers-wise, we look like we’re in tough,” Desormeaux said. “But physically, I’m not concerned. She’s still growing. She’s a big, rangy filly.”
Right There worked slowly early in the meet with an exercise rider. The slow times were by design, Desormeaux said. “The first two works, I didn’t push her. The last work, you can see she picked it up a little with Kent [Desormeaux] on her.”
Right There breaks from the inside post, which isn’t a factor, Keith Desormeaux said. “I’m not sending,” he said. “There’s plenty of speed in there.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Sooner Time. Trainer Peter Eurton is 4-2-1-1 with a $6.50 ROI over the past five years in the second career start with juveniles who won their debut. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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