Seduire delivers as favorite in Debutante

There were no surprises Saturday at Golden Gate Fields, as heavy favorite Seduire dominated a small field of 2-year-old fillies, winning the $51,150 Golden Gate Debutante Stakes by 5 1/2 lengths.

Wedding Blush broke quickly inside Seduire, but Seduire eased to the front by the time she reached the backstretch and was never seriously challenged. She maintained a one-length advantage over Indian Rocket to the quarter pole and quickly opened up on the field when asked into the lane by jockey Ricardo Gonzalez.

She was 3 1/2 lengths in front of Wedding Blush by the eighth pole and extended her margin through the lane while winning in 1:09.90. Wedding Blush finished a neck in front of Seduire’s late-running stablemate, Lutine Belle, for second.

“She’s a nice filly,” said Gonzalez. “I got to work her last week (a 48.40-second half-mile last Tuesday), and she worked pretty good under a hold.”

Gonzalez never really asked the Canadian-bred Elusive Quality filly to run until reaching the stretch.

“She broke good, and I was able to give her a breather on the backside,” said Gonzalez. “When I asked her to run, she really came through for me. She really took off.”

The Jerry Hollendorfer trainee was a $130,000 purchase by Regis Racing at a yearling sale at Keeneland last November. She is the first foal of the unraced Holy Bull mare Holy Éclair.

She improved her record to three wins and two seconds in six starts while earning $30,250 for her second stakes victory. She has earned $142,250. Her lone off-the-board performance was a fifth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante at seven furlongs behind Sunset Glow.

“It was good we got her up here in time to give her a work over the track,” said Hollendorfer. “You always think about stretching them out, but we’re happy she got the six furlongs today. We’re getting beaten up down south, so I’m happy for this.”