Miss Monica tests her immense potential in the Del Mar Debutante

The daughter of Early Voting cost $850,000 and debuted with a 5 3/4-length victory for Bob Baffert; Holmby, the promising Dear Diary and Well Versed, along with several out-of-town invaders, will shape a G1 packed with future promise

Holmby, a hard rival for Miss Monica / BENOIT PHOTO

DEL MAR, California (Special for Turf Diario).— September begins to bring 2-year-olds center stage in the United States, and this Saturday will feature one of the season’s first major events for fillies with the Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1-1,400 m, $300,000), a race that will field ten contenders and boasts in Miss Monica a standout capable of generating immense expectations.

It is not merely because of the $850,000 that Mike Pegram and his partners paid for her in April. The daughter of Early Voting swiftly translated her value from the sales catalog to the track, producing a dominant 5 3/4-length victory over 1,300 meters in her lone appearance.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Miss Monica emerges as the logical favorite in a race where her conditioner holds a formidable record. Baffert has won the Del Mar Debutante no fewer than 12 times, including its last two renewals with Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso) and Tenma (Nyquist).

And he will not arrive alone in search of another conquest. He will also send out Holmby (Corniche), who has already taken a step forward in the stakes progression by capturing the Sorrento Stakes (G3) in her most recent outing for the silks of Talla Racing. Saddling two fillies of such high projection places Baffert’s powerhouse barn in a privileged position once again.

However, Richard Mandella also has plenty of reason for optimism. The Hall of Famer will showcase Spendthrift Farm homebreds Dear Diary and Well Versed, both daughters of Into Mischief and still maidens after finishing second in their respective debuts.

“Both showed a lot of potential and ran well in their first starts. I think they have plenty of room to improve,” Mandellanoted.

Dear Diary encountered several mishaps in her 1,100-meter debut. As her trainer explained, she hit the side of the gate breaking out, lost her balance, and despite that, finished with a strong rally to take second.

Well Versed, meanwhile, was the runner-up behind Miss Monica. For Mandella, she is a big-bodied filly who needed that initial race experience and should benefit greatly from it.

Mandella’s history in the Del Mar Debutante also features significant chapters. He won in 2003 with Halfbridled(Unbridled), who went on to become champion of her division, and celebrated victory again in 2023 with Tamara(Bolt D'Oro), a daughter of the unforgettable Beholder (Henny Hughes). He even recalled the tight defeat the latter suffered in the 2012 edition against Executiveprivilege (First Samurai).

The allure of this G1 prompted several outfits from the Midwest to journey to California.

Brendan Walsh will send out two representatives: Panda Listen (Tiz the Law), winner of the Miss Ohio Stakes (L) at Thistledown, and Fast Amy (Jackie's Warrior), coming off a maiden score at Ellis Park. Arriving from the same circuit is For the Win (Drain the Clock), trained by George Weaver and second-place finisher in the Ellis Park Debutante Stakes (L).

Another filly with stakes credentials is Crazy Hot Mess (Pinehurst), surely the bargain story of the lineup. She was acquired for just $15,000 at Keeneland September, won a $100,000 maiden special weight at Ellis Park, and subsequently finished third behind Holmby in the Sorrento.

Her trainer, Peter Miller, a two-time Del Mar Debutante winner, knows the test will be stern: “If both of Baffert's run and all the Kentucky fillies come, I'd be happy finishing third. But my filly has at least earned the opportunity,” he acknowledged.

The field also includes Free Closer (Pavel), a Reddam Racing homebred trained by Michael McCarthy, who enters off a categorical 8 1/4-length victory in the California Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Stakes (L), restricted to California-bred or California-sired fillies.

Avalon Rose (Rock Your World), for her part, arrives after breaking her maiden by 3 1/4 lengths for Bob Hess.