Tenma noses Vodka With a Twist as Baffert extends record in Del Mar Debutante

Tariner Bob Baffert extended his record total to 11 victories in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Saturday, but not with the 2-year-old filly many expected.

Tenma ($8 second favorite) took advantage of a hot pace and clever ride from Kazushi Kimura to win the seven-furlong Debutante by a nose over runner-up Vodka With a Twist, who finished nine lengths clear of third-place finisher So There She Was.

Meanwhile, Baffert-trained Nooni, a Grade 3 winner, wilted from the hot pace and finished fifth at odds-on.

Tenma was making her second start for Charles and Susan Chu, who purchased the Nyquist filly for $850,000 at a 2-year-old sale. Tenma won her debut Aug. 18 at 5 1/2 furlongs, and became the ninth Debutante winner in the last 10 years to win following a one-two finish in a maiden race.

The pace of the Debutante figured to be quick, and it was. Nooni broke running, but was hooked immediately from the inside by rail-drawn Proud Starlet and from the outside by Night Beacon. Those three dueled through a 21.50 opening quarter-mile while Kimura took Tenma down to the rail and waited in fifth position.

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After a half-mile in a blistering 44.38, Nooni shook off her pace rivals, but was immediately challenged by Vodka With a Twist, who was pressing the front-runners while four-wide. Vodka With a Twist ran past Nooni at the quarter pole, who steadied while backing up. Stewards lit the inquiry sign and made no change.

Jockey Juan Hernandez said Nooni “was a little empty today, too much pressure at the beginning. I tried to sit next to the speed and it didn't work out.”

It worked out perfectly for Kimura and Tenma, who had saved ground on the turn, angled three-wide into the stretch, and gradually wore down Vodka With a Twist to win the seven-furlong race in 1:23.67.

Kimura had ridden Tenma to her debut victory at 5 1/2 furlongs, and said after the Debutante she “needed more distance than the first race. I was surprised she won at the distance of five and one-half furlongs.”

Baffert said before the Debutante that Tenma really wants two turns. She is likely to get the chance Oct. 5 at Santa Anita in the Grade 2 Oak Leaf Stakes at 1 1/16 miles.

Vodka With a Twist ran too good to lose. She was four-wide through the turn, and got bumped soundly by a tiring Nooni turning for home. Combined with the ground loss and bump, Vodka With a Twist might have been best.

Vodka With a Twist’s jockey Mike Smith said Nooni “came out and that turned me in. I think it slowed me down when it happened.”

- additional reporting by Steve Andersen

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