Guillot has high hopes for Mi Sueno

DEL MAR, Calif. - In the plans, and dreams, of colorful trainer Eric Guillot, Mi Sueno must win the Grade 1 Darley Debutante at Del Mar to stay on schedule for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita on Nov. 6, a race he thinks she is capable of winning.

"Mi Sueno breathes different air than the other fillies," Guillot said. "If a Grade 1 win didn't give her so much value, I'd run her against the boys."

A tilt against males will not happen for Mi Sueno in Monday's Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity, but it could happen for another Guillot runner, the recent maiden winner Champagne d'Oro, who was third in the at Hollywood Park in June. She was cross-entered in both the Debutante and the Futurity.

For Mi Sueno, a run against the boys will have to wait for perhaps another day. First, Mi Sueno needs to win the seven-furlong Debutante against nine other 2-year-old fillies to confirm her status among the top 2-year-old fillies in the nation.

Owned by Southern Equine Racing, Mi Sueno got her first victory in the Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 7. She drew off to a convincing win by 6 1/2 lengths. Earlier this year at Hollywood Park, she was second in two maiden races.

By Pulpit, Mi Sueno seemed like a different filly in the 6 1/2-furlong Sorrento, stalking the pace to the eighth pole and pulling away rapidly in the final sixteenth. The extra distance of the Debutante should pose no problem.

If both of his fillies run, Guillot will have a formidable team in the $300,000 Debutante. Champagne d'Oro beat maidens on Aug. 9, but was later found to have tested positive for the banned steroid trenbolone, Guillot was told by California Horse Racing Board officials. An official split sample is being conducted which will confirm or negate the initial test.

Guillot took the initiative to conduct a separate test to determine whether the medication was still in the filly's system, and was told earlier this week that the test was clear.

Champagne d'Oro would have an important role in the Debutante as the expected pacesetter.

"If she puts away the speed, Mi Sueno may not be able to catch her," Guillot said. "I'd love to run one-two."

Trainer Doug O'Neill will be out to stop that with Necessary Evil, the winner of the at Hollywood Park on July 12 and the CTBA Stakes against statebred fillies here on July 24.

Necessary Evil led throughout the Juvenile Championship against males but had a bad start in the Sorrento, never made the lead, and could only finish second to Mi Sueno.

"She had a real rough trip, and she still ran well despite not having any luck," O'Neill said.

Repo may not have the speed to take the early lead, but should race near the front. "She's by In Excess, and we've seen them step out of restricted company and do well," O'Neill said.

It Tiz won a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs in her debut on Aug. 16. It Tiz, trained by Mark Glatt for Allen and Susan Branch, closed from fourth to score by three-quarters of a length. Glatt's concern going into the Debutante was whether the Tiznow filly would need a longer race.

"I think she's very capable of running one-two-three," Glatt said. "The race sets up good for her. Against better fillies, she could need more ground. I think stretching out to two turns, she'll really shine."

Blind Luck beat maiden claimers at Calder in June and won a starter allowance race here on July 29.

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