Pretty N Cool continues to impress ahead of Debutante

DEL MAR, Calif. – Pretty N Cool began to impress trainer Bob Baffert in workouts before the stable left Santa Anita for Del Mar in mid-July. When the stable heads back to Santa Anita next month, Pretty N Cool might be an undefeated Grade 1 winner.

On Wednesday, Pretty N Cool won her stakes debut in the $200,000 Sorrento Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs. She is likely to be favored Sept. 5 in the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante at seven furlongs, the top race of the summer meeting for juvenile fillies.

“When we came down here, she was the best one,” Baffert said Thursday.

Pretty N Cool led throughout her debut win in a maiden race over a sealed and sloppy track here July 19. She rated in second in the Grade 2 Sorrento before taking the lead from the pacesetting Undisputed at the quarter pole. Pretty N Cool led by four lengths with a furlong remaining and won by 2 1/4 lengths over the 19-1 Gomo. Pretty N Cool ($2.80) was timed in 1:16.94.

“She’ll be a very good filly in the future,” jockey Martin Garcia said.

Pretty N Cool, by Scat Daddy, races for Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman. She has earned $162,000 from her two races.

Gomo is a candidate for the Del Mar Debutante, trainer Doug O’Neill said Thursday. Plans are uncertain for Uptown Twirl, who faded through the stretch to finish fifth of six, trainer John Sadler said.

Baffert has won the Del Mar Debutante seven times, most recently in 2012 for the same group of owners. He is two wins shy of the record of nine wins held by D. Wayne Lukas, who most recently won the Debutante in 1996.