Inspiressa inherits favorite's role for Del Mar Debutante

DEL MAR, Calif. – Recent setbacks to top-class 2-year-old fillies Amalfi Sunrise and Immediate Impact have left Inspiressa as the likely favorite for the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Debutante on Saturday, a position Inspiressa solidified with a five-furlong work in 1:01 Monday morning.

Inspiressa, a daughter of The Big Beast who sold for $850,000 at auction earlier this year, breezed home a winner on debut going 5 1/2 furlongs Aug. 11, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 82. She will try to stretch her speed to seven furlongs in the Debutante, and provide yet another stakes win at this meet for trainer John Sadler, who already has eight here this summer.

Amalfi Sunrise, the runaway winner of the Sorrento Stakes Aug. 3, was removed from consideration for the Debutante last week owing to a hind-end injury that trainer Simon Callaghan on Monday said is improving. Also Monday, trainer Bob Baffert informed that Immediate Impact, a half-sister to Arrogate who romped by 6 3/4 lengths in her debut July 28, would miss the Debutante because of a minor shin injury.

The field for the Debutante could now grow. Callaghan said he would have to evaluate whether to reroute Shedaresthedevil, who also is under consideration for the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf on closing-day Monday. Baffert could run Bast, who was second to Inspiressa in her lone start and who worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 on Monday. Peter Miller has two possibilities – Bulletproof One, who would be a heavy favorite if she stays in the Generous Portion on Wednesday, and Leucothea, who is also under consideration for the Grade 1 Spinaway at Saratoga on Sunday. Leucothea worked a half-mile in 49.40 seconds Monday morning.

Among those considered definite for the Debutante are Powerfulattraction, second in the Sorrento, as well as runaway maiden winner Pure Xena and the Doug O’Neill-trained pair of Comical and Lazy Daisy.