Del Mar: Sprouts sets her sights on Del Mar Debutante

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DEL MAR, Calif. – This summer, Sprouts has won stakes against open company and California-breds in consecutive starts. Her next objective will be the highest goal of them all – a win in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Aug. 31 at the start of Labor Day weekend.

Sprouts won the $100,250 California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Stakes for 2-year-old California-bred fillies at Del Mar on Friday, leading throughout to finish in front of stablemate Eddies Curl. At Betfair Hollywood Park in June, Sprouts won the Cinderella Stakes against open company in her stakes debut.

“She’s won the open race and the California-bred race, and it would be nice to get a graded placing, if possible,” owner-breeder Paul Reddam said. “Sprouts is a special filly.”

The $300,000 Del Mar Debutante, run over seven furlongs, is the richest race of the summer for 2-year-old fillies in California.

It is safe to say that Sprouts has been a surprise. Trained by Edward Freeman, Sprouts is by Square Eddie, a freshman stallion owned and raced by Reddam who stands in California for $5,000. Freeman estimates that Sprouts weighs about 950 pounds, but she has proven to be effective in the 2-year-old filly division this summer, winning 3 of 4 starts and $149,240.

In the CTBA Stakes over 5 1/2 furlongs, Sprouts set fractions of 22.30 and 46.10 seconds, pulling clear in the stretch to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Eddies Curl. The stewards conducted an inquiry into Eddies Curl’s action at the start when he drifted to the inside and caused Evening News and Pay the Debt to be checked.

After a lengthy review, the stewards did not change the order of finish.