O'Neill targeting Del Mar Debutante with Comical, Lazy Daisy

DEL MAR, Calif. – Lazy Daisy and Comical had opposite results for trainer Doug O’Neill in separate races on Saturday at Del Mar, but they remain the stable’s hopes for the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Aug. 31.

Comical finished last of six as the 2-1 favorite in the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes, fighting for the lead from a rail position under jockey Julien Leparoux before fading from contention in the final furlong. She finished 12 1/2 lengths behind the impressive race winner Amalfi Sunrise.

“I think she was a victim of being on the rail,” O’Neill said of Comical. “Julien rode her the way we thought would be best. In hindsight, it would have been better to give him more patient instructions.”

Lazy Daisy won her career debut in Saturday’s first race, a maiden special weight race for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs. She closed from third to win by a half-length.

“She had a good foundation going into it,” O’Neill said. “I was very impressed. I think the more ground, the better.”

The $300,000 Del Mar Debutante is run at seven furlongs and is the championship race for 2-year-old fillies of the summer meeting. Amalfi Sunrise heads the list of probable starters, which includes Powerfulattraction and Shedaresthedevil, who were second and third in the $200,351 Sorrento.

Amalfi Sunrise and Shedaresthedevil are trained by Simon Callaghan.

Powerfulattraction, trained by Peter Eurton, closed from last in the final quarter-mile of the Sorrento to finish a nose in front of Shedaresthedevil.

“She got some dirt in her face and fell back farther than we wanted to,” Eurton said. “She came running. I would like to run her seven-eighths.”