Stays in Vegas has talent edge in Wine Country Debutante

Stays in Vegas’s monster debut win in a stakes last month makes her an overwhelming favorite in Friday’s $50,000 Wine Country Debutante at Santa Rosa. The six-furlong event for 2-year-old fillies drew a field of seven.

Owned by Jungle Racing LLC, KMN Racing LLC, and LNJ Foxwoods and trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Stays in Vegas debuted July 4 in the Juan Gonzalez Memorial at Pleasanton. She got squeezed back at the start of that 5 1/2-furlong event, but after biding her time, she rolled past her rivals and won in a romp by six lengths under Roberto Gonzalez. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 78. Gonzalez rides again on Friday.

While she looks dominant here, a couple of fillies might have the necessary improvement and talent to contend or even upset her. Runninforhoody rallied to win her debut July 16 at Sacramento by a neck over Clara’s Dream, who also goes here. Clara’s Dream ran fourth in her career debut at Pleasanton on June 25 before dueling for the lead and finishing second in that July 16 race at Sacramento. Runninforhoody and Clara’s Dream earned respective Beyer Speed Figures of 51 and 50.

WINE COUNTRY DEBUTANTE (RACE 7)

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KEY CONTENDERS

Stays in Vegas (Beyer: 78)

◗ Showed patience and tractability in her debut win.

◗ Her connections thought enough of her to enter her in Del Mar’s Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes on Wednesday but opted to scratch from that spot and remain in Northern California for this easier race.

◗ She has worked four times since her debut win.

Runninforhoody (Beyer: 51)

◗ Showed courage in the lane to go after the leaders and win.

◗ She has three winning full siblings, including six-time winner Snackable.

Clara’s Dream (Beyers: 50-38)

◗ Appears headed the right way after failing to threaten in her debut. She battled gamely to the wire in her second start.

◗ She has the right to improve with more ground as a daughter of Drosselmeyer, the winner of Belmont Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Classic. Her dam was stakes-placed as well.