Miss Monica gives Baffert 13th Del Mar Debutante triumph
:quality(75))
DEL MAR, Calif. – Perhaps the most revealing aspect of trainer Bob Baffert’s 13th victory in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante was a declaration by jockey Juan Hernandez after the Saturday race.
Miss Monica ($2.80) crushed the seven-furlong Debutante by 6 1/4 lengths, winning with plenty in the tank and prompting Hernandez to ponder the filly’s future.
“I think she’s going to be even better going two turns,” Hernandez said.
If so, Miss Monica will be tough to beat, because she already is good around one turn. Her Debutante romp followed a front-running debut maiden romp. The question Saturday was how Miss Monica would respond facing tougher company in a race with plenty of speed.
Miss Monica, a daughter of Early Voting, responded like a Grade 1 winner in what was basically a one-horse race. Crazy Hot Mess rallied from far back to finish second. Holmby, winner of the Grade 3 Sorrento, finished third.
Miss Monica broke like a shot, and Hernandez faced an immediate decision – go on with it, or take her back. Hernandez made the right choice, as usual.
“When I saw those other two fillies (Fast Amy, Panda Listen) in front of me, I was like, I’d better grab her and get a good position,” Hernandez said. “I was able to go around and put her in the clear. She was traveling beautiful the whole race. I was loaded the whole race.”
Baffert said “We had a great post and she was able to put herself into a good spot. (Hernandez) knows you can’t go too fast, especially going seven-eighths. He was in a good spot. I liked it better at the quarter pole.”
Miss Monica cruised to the lead at the quarter pole without being asked by Hernandez. “When she switched leads, the race was over,” Hernandez said. “She galloped out really good. She’s a big filly.”
Miss Monica won the Debutante in 1:23.54. Miss Monica is owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman.
The win by Miss Monica stamps her as the top 2-year-old filly in California and likely favorite if Baffert stretches her out to 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 2 Oak Leaf Stakes on Oct. 3 at Santa Anita.
The Oak Leaf may also be the next stop for runner-up Crazy Hot Mess, who did not break well, but rallied from next to last to finish second. Peter Miller trains Crazy Hot Mess.
Baffert also trains Debutante third-place finisher Holmby, who had a good trip from fifth positon, but lost her punch in the stretch. Holmby was making her third start of the summer meet.
After top three finishers Miss Monica, Crazy Hot Mess and Holmby, the order of finish was Free Closer, Well Versed, Dear Diary, Panda Listen, Avalon Rose and Fast Amy. For the Win was scratched.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.
