Field of 10 looks to use Debutante as stepping-stone

The $175,000 Ellis Park Debutante has been a solid early proving ground for 2-year-old fillies since it was reinstated to the Henderson, Ky. track’s stakes schedule in 2017. Several of the winners have continued on to stakes success as 3-year-olds and older horses, including 2019 Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress and her fellow graded stakes-winning millionaire Crazy Beautiful. Last year’s Debutante winner, Hot Beach, is already a stakes winner this year.

A big field of 10 which appears fairly wide open will go in Sunday’s seven-furlong tilt looking to add their names to the list. Shezafunkydrummer is the only prior stakes winner in the field, taking the Prairie Gold Lassie in her second career start. However, her top Beyer Speed Figure is a 65, bettered by many in this field, and she has yet to race beyond 5 1/2 furlongs.

Shezafunkydrummer is trained by Larry Rivelli, who is on a hot streak, winning with five of his first seven starters this month, through Aug. 8. He has another entrant in the Debutante in Rich City Girl, who is less experienced than her stablemate but more well regarded at 5-2 on the morning line. Rich City Girl has also only raced at 5 1/2 furlongs, but made that an impressive local start, winning by 3 1/4 lengths on July 6 at Ellis with a 76 Beyer, narrowly best in this field.

Rich City Girl is likely to have company on the front end in Stilettos, who rolled to a 16 3/4-length win at Lone Star on June 29, earning a 75 Beyer.

American Women has the potential for an ideal trip, sitting in the catbird seat on the outside stalking that pace in the long run down the backstretch. The filly is the only member of the field to have raced seven furlongs before, doing so locally with a strong figure. American Women tracked the pace in third in a maiden at Ellis on July 15 before poking a head in front in the stretch and surging clear to win by 2 1/2 lengths, with a 72 Beyer.

The companion race to the Debutante is the $175,000 Ellis Park Juvenile, at seven furlongs. Politicallycorrect is coming off a five-length victory in the Bashford Manor on June 30 at Churchill Downs for trainer Chris Davis. On one hand, the colt made a sweeping move to the lead and won in a manner that suggests going from six to seven furlongs will be to his liking. On the other, he benefited from a pace meltdown that allowed him to close from 12th after an opening quarter in 21.41 seconds, and a half in 45.97.

Also emerging from the Bashford Manor are Enduring Spirit, who finished ninth after pressing the pace; and Heat, who was last of 12 as the second choice after being bumped at the start and clipping heels on the turn. Both are eligible to improve with a better trip. A hint as to the form of the Bashford Manor could be garnered the day before at Saratoga, as runner-up Smoken Wicked goes in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special.

In a smaller field, in which longshot Charbonnay – who is actually cutting back after breaking his maiden at a mile – seems the most committed speed, pace-pressing types like Enduring Spirit should have an easier time of it. This is also true of the morning-line favorite, Owen Almighty. The colt tracked closely in second before kicking clear for a 3 1/2-length maiden win going 5 1/2 furlongs on June 20 at Churchill Downs. His Beyer of 83 is the best in this field.

The consistent Three Echoes is well seasoned in stakes competition, finishing third in the Tremont with a 76 Beyer, tied for second best in the field with Politicallycorrect. Three Echoes also finished third in the Grade 3 Sanford going six furlongs at Saratoga.

Art Fair, who finished behind Three Echoes and then Owen Almighty in their respective maiden wins, can provide another hint in handicapping this race when he starts in the first race Sunday at Ellis.

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