Maidens deserve attention in Sorrento Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – When it comes to 2-year-olds at this point in the year, there isn’t much difference between a loaded maiden race and a stakes race. That’s why two maidens who ran strong but losing efforts in their lone start look to have terrific chances against lightly raced winners on Sunday at Del Mar in the Grade 2, $200,000 Sorrento Stakes for fillies.

Bellafina, second at 1-2 in her debut last month at Los Alamitos, and Del Mar May, second to the highly regarded Brill on opening day here, both merit long looks even though they are going up against winners. Del Mar May, in fact, owns the race’s best Beyer Speed Figure, an 85, and from an experience standpoint, no one in the field has run more than twice.

“I think she has a legitimate shot to win the race,” Richard Baltas, who trains Del Mar May, said Friday morning. “Running a maiden in a stakes at this time of year is not that far-fetched. She came back good from her first race. I didn’t think I had her fully cranked up. I was pleasantly surprised.”

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Both runners could have gone in a $60,000 maiden race earlier on the card, but a race worth three times the money but not three times as difficult makes it an intriguing option. There’s also the allure of black type.

“We’ve always felt good about the filly, and felt this was the right time to run in a stakes,” said Simon Callaghan, who trains Bellafina for Kaleem Shah. “It’s a solid field without a standout.”

Eight others are entered in the race, including Stirred, a maiden winner at Santa Anita; Lady Lucy, a maiden winner at Churchill Downs; and Summerland, a two-time winner at Hastings.

KEY CONTENDERS

Del Mar May, by Jimmy Creed
Beyer: 85

◗ She turned in a performance first time out that would have won most maiden races, but was run down late by Brill in a fast time while nearly six lengths clear of the rest of the field.

Bellafina, by Quality Road
Beyer: 76

◗ She is adding blinkers after a runner-up effort in her debut in which she was five lengths clear of the third horse.

“She has a tendency to look around,” Callaghan said. “This should help her focus.”

Stirred, by Shakin It Up
Beyer: 68

◗ She sat off the pace and then pounced in her victorious debut, a scenario trainer Michael McCarthy hopes to see unfold again in the Sorrento.

“If I could draw it up, that would be ideal,” McCarthy said. “I’m hoping she can tuck in. It looks like there’s plenty of speed in the race.”

Lady Lucy, by Into Mischief
Beyers: 68-54

◗ She was privately purchased following a maiden win at Churchill Downs in her second start and now goes for trainer Phil D’Amato, who won two stakes last weekend.

Summerland, by He’s Tops
Beyers: 72-71

◗ It’s unusual to see a horse who began at Hastings turn up in a 2-year-old stakes here, but she romped in both starts, both against males, and her Beyer Figures put her squarely in the mix.