Nooni lives up to hype in debut romp

The highly regarded filly Nooni ran to expectations with an undemanding victory by 9 1/2 lengths in a maiden race at five furlongs at Santa Anita on Thursday.

The easy victory leaves Nooni on schedule for expected starts in stakes at Del Mar later this summer.

Nooni, purchased for $1.8 million at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales 2-year-olds in-training auction in Florida in March, was 1-5 and ran accordingly. Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Nooni was away well and quickly in front. She led by two lengths on the backstretch and by five lengths in early stretch. Hernandez did not urge Nooni through the stretch.

Nooni, who was timed in 58.21 seconds, is the first winner for her Florida-based stallion Win Win Win.

Nooni races for Amr Zedan and trainer Bob Baffert. She was the most expensive hip of the three-day auction in March.

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“She did everything right,” Baffert said. “It wasn’t a hard race on her. It’s nice to have horses like that.”

Baffert said he was particularly encouraged by Nooni’s clean start.

“She broke well,” he said. “In the mornings, she always broke a half a step awkwardly. She got out of there.”

The Del Mar summer meeting begins on July 20 and includes two graded stakes for 2-year-old fillies – the Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes, a $150,000 race at six furlongs on Aug. 10, and the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante, which is worth $300,000 and will be run at seven furlongs on Sept. 7.

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