Himika the clear filly to beat in Sorrento Stakes
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The margin was somewhat misleading.
When Himika won her first start in a maiden race at five furlongs on June 12 at Santa Anita, she finished six lengths clear. It could have been much, much more.
“We sort of expected her to run the way she did,” trainer Bob Baffert reflected Thursday.
The performance makes Himika the favorite in Sunday’s Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs at Del Mar, the division’s first graded stakes of the year in California.
Himika, who will be ridden by Juan Hernandez, drew the inside post in a field of six. Since her maiden race win, Himika has continued to develop, Baffert said. A filly by Curlin, Himika has worked quickly on several occasions in the last month, including five furlongs in 59 seconds last Sunday.
“She’s doing fine,” Baffert said. “She’s coming into the race well. As we go along, she’s maturing.
“When I bought her, she was really talented.”
Himika, who races for Charles and Susan Chu’s Baoma Corp., was purchased for $900,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s April sale of 2-year-olds in training.
The lineup opposing Himika in the $150,000 Sorrento consists of four fillies who won maiden races in their last starts – Dreaming of Alys, Mo’ Em Down, My Kat, and Stuffy Mist – and the maiden Thank You India.
Himika stalked the early pace in her maiden race win, a style that also worked for Dreaming of Alys when she won her debut at 5 1/2 furlongs on June 13 at Laurel. Mo’ Em Down was always within a length of the lead when she won her second start by 9 1/2 lengths on June 21 at Churchill Downs.
Dreaming of Alys was trained by Gary Capuano when she won at Laurel and was bought privately following that race. A slightly longer start in the Sorrento will benefit Dreaming of Alys, according to new trainer Phil D’Amato.
“She’s not blisteringly fast,” D’Amato said. “She strikes me as one that can rate and finish. I think that bodes well for her on the stretch out.”
Mo’ Em Down has been held in high regard by trainer Peter Miller since she was in training at the San Luis Rey Downs training center in San Diego County in May.
Miller shipped Mo’ Em Down to Churchill Downs to begin her career. The filly overcame a poor start to finish a fast-closing third in her first start on June 1.
“She made a big run and ran third and galloped out really strong,” he said.
In her maiden race win, Mo’ Em Down took the lead with a four-wide move on the turn. She led by four lengths with a furlong remaining and continued to pull away from 11 rivals as the 6-5 favorite.
“You never expect one to win by nine and a half,” Miller said. “I’d say she exceeded expectations.
“She made a run from right off the pace last time. She’s very versatile.”
Sunday’s nine-race program begins with a maiden race for 2-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs. Noble Testament, a colt by Constitution who is a half-brother to 2021 Preakness Stakes winner Rombauer, has his first start for trainer Richard Mandella.
Noble Testament will be ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, who turns 60 on Sunday.
Baffert starts Balboa, who was third to a highly regarded stablemate in Brant in a maiden race on July 26 at Del Mar.
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