Miss Monica put on a spectacular show and gave Early Voting his first G1 winner
- Turf Diario
- 3 minutes ago
- 3 min read
The Bob Baffert trainee preserved her unbeaten record with a commanding 6 1/4-length victory in the Del Mar Debutante (G1); she cost $850,000 just 5 months ago and now sets her sights on the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies as her next major target
DEL MAR, California (Special for Turf Diario).— When Bob Baffert sets his sights on a horse at an auction, stopping him can prove to be a daunting task. Mike Pegram has known this for decades and was reminded once again this past April during the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.
The bidding on an attractive daughter of Early Voting kept climbing, with Pegram watching in amazement as his trainer kept raising his paddle. The final price tag reached $850,000.
"I kept seeing Bobby bidding and I was wondering who he was buying that filly for. Then he walked over and said, 'OK, sign the ticket.' That's Bobby. When he likes one, he doesn't stop," Pegram recalled. Five months later, that $850,000 purchase is already looking like a brilliant investment.
That filly was Miss Monica, and on Saturday she transformed into one of the marquee sensations among American 2-year-olds by demolishing her rivals by 6 1/4 lengths in the Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1-1400 m), keeping her unbeaten record intact through 2 starts and setting a direct course toward the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).
If her debut had turned heads, this latest performance launched her into a whole new orbit. With Juan Hernández once again back in the irons, Miss Monica effortlessly tracked the demanding pace set by Fast Amy (Jackie's Warrior) and Panda Listen (Tiz the Law), who threw down a blistering opening 800 meters in 44s96/100.
The favorite was traveling comfortably. Almost too comfortably. Approaching the turn, Hernández allowed her to close in on the leaders, and as they straightened away, he gave her the green light. Miss Monica switched leads and the race was over in a matter of strides.
"She was giving me plenty of horse the whole way. Once we hit the stretch I asked her to move, she switched leads, and it was over," summarized the jockey.
The only moment of anxiety came prior to the break. On a warm and humid afternoon, Miss Monica appeared somewhat edgy inside the starting gate, moving around more than usual. But as soon as the doors burst open, all those nervous antics vanished.
On the track, she was total professionalism. Miss Monica crossed the finish line in complete isolation, stopping the clock in 1m23s54/100 for the 1400 meters. Well back in second, 25-1 longshot Crazy Hot Mess (Pinehurst) produced a solid late run to grab the runner-up spot, finishing 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Holmby (Corniche), Baffert's other entrant and recent winner of the Sorrento Stakes (G3).
For the conditioner, it marked his staggering thirteenth victory in the Del Mar Debutante, an extraordinary statistic even for someone accustomed to dominating major juvenile events in California.
However, only one of those previous 12 triumphs had been shared with Pegram: that of Executiveprivilege (First Samurai) in 2012.
Miss Monica races for the iconic syndicate Pegram forms alongside Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, known as the Three Amigos, and her sales history is equally fascinating. Bred in Kentucky by Doug Branham, Felicia Branham, and Pippa's Hurricane, she was initially sold for just $45,000 as a yearling before exponentially multiplying her value during her prep for the 2-year-old sales.
A daughter of Early Voting, she is out of Lipstikliesnlovers, by American Pharoah. And her sire had major reasons of his own to celebrate.
Miss Monica became the first stakes winner for Early Voting, achieving the milestone directly at the highest level. Through her, the winner of the 2022 Preakness Stakes (G1) and son of Gun Runner became the first freshman stallion of the 2026 season to sire a G1 winner.
Early Voting stood this year at Taylor Made Stallions for $12,500, and such an explosive debut from his first crop will certainly not go unnoticed.
Meanwhile, the immediate future for Miss Monica is already taking shape.
Pegram needed few words to sum up his delight with the performance. "She's smooth as fine Kentucky bourbon," he quipped.
And Kentucky is precisely where she is headed next. The Breeders' Cup awaits.
After 2 victories by a combined margin of 12 lengths, Miss Monica will arrive as one of the fillies everyone will be gunning for.
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