Nooni, after Sorrento win, points to Debutante next
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DEL MAR, Calif. - Seven-figure Nooni won the six-figure, Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar on Saturday in the manner of a promising filly expected to be at the top of the national division over the next 90 days.
Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Nooni led throughout the race for 2-year-old fillies to win by 1 1/2 lengths as the 1-2 favorite, remaining unbeaten after two starts. Nooni won her debut by 9 1/2 lengths at Santa Anita on June 13.
“I didn’t train her very hard for this thing,” winning trainer Bob Baffert said. “I didn’t want to overdo it. We’re pointing for the Debutante and the Breeders’ Cup. She’s shown a lot of quality.”
Nooni is supposed to be a quality filly. Owned by Amr Zedan, Nooni, who is by Win Win Win, was purchased for $1.8 million at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale of 2-year-olds in-training in Florida in March. Nooni was the most expensive hip of the three-day auction.
Baffert won the $150,000 Sorrento for a record eighth time on Saturday, and for the first time since Pretty N Cool in 2015. He has won the Debutante a record 10 times. If Nooni, or another of his fillies, start in the BC Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar on Nov. 1, Baffert will be attempting to win the race for the third time. He has not won the Juvenile Fillies since 2007 with Indian Blessing at Monmouth Park.
Baffert is expecting a successful late summer and fall with his juvenile fillies, he said in the winner’s circle on Saturday.
“I usually have more colts than fillies,” he said. “It’s not for a lack of trying. It depends on the crop. My fillies are strong this year.”
The Debutante field is likely to include So There She Was, the winner of a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs in her third start on Saturday. So There She Was, trained by Doug O’Neill, closed from fourth along the inside under jockey Antonio Fresu to win by 1 3/4 lengths as the 4-5 favorite.
“She was gutsy,” O’Neill said on Sunday. “The racetrack was pretty speed-favoring. She couldn’t get there early.
“The rail opened and she showed a lot of maturity to go up in there.”
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