Pulp Fiction seeks redemption in Del Mar's CTT and TOC Stakes

The winner of the 2024 Polla de Potrancas (G1) returns to action this Saturday against a large and perilous field; "She is much better than what she showed in her last outing," said Phil D'Amato, her trainer

DEL MAR, California—Things haven't gone quite as planned for the Argentine mare Pulp Fiction since arriving in the United States, but this Saturday offers a chance to begin rewriting the script.

The winner of the 2024 Gran Premio Polla de Potrancas (G1) was confirmed to run at Del Mar in the CTT and TOC Stakes (L), set to be contested over 1 3/8 miles on the turf for a purse of $100,000.

Making her second start under trainer Phil D'Amato, the Daddy Long Legs mare bred by Haras Los Turfistas breaks from post 2 in a field of 11, with Chilean jockey Héctor Berríos—one of the circuit's top riders—in the irons.

In April of last season, she made her Northern Hemisphere debut finishing sixth at Keeneland, before showing improvement two months later to run third at Laurel Park. Nearly a year on the sidelines followed before the bay mare returned to action, this time in California, where she once again failed to threaten. On that occasion, competing in an allowance feature, she finished a distant seventh, 6 1/4 lengths behind Baltic Fire (Flameaway), who edged fellow Argentine runner Mi Confesión (Suggestive Boy) by 1 1/4 lengths.

Pulp Fiction enters this tough test backed by a string of solid five-furlong workouts, though skepticism remains regarding how she will handle a distance she has never previously attempted, coupled with her limited form in North America to date.

Reflecting on her latest outing, D'Amato offered context: "She drew the worst possible post—10 of 10—and on top of that, she threw a front shoe after the first 400 meters. She is much better than what she showed in her last performance. I genuinely believe she should be viewed as one of the contenders." Dream on, then, regardless of what the paper says...

The consensus horse to beat appears to be the English-bred Vronti (Night of Thunder), trained by H. Graham Motion—who previously conditioned Pulp Fiction—and making her return to California following a respectable second-place finish at Saratoga. Prior to that, she ran fifth in the Gamely Stakes (G1) at Del Mar in May.

Another veteran presence in the lineup is Resolve (Midnight Lute), while the field also features Innovative(Complexity), winner of the John C. Harris Stakes (G3) and fresh off a runner-up effort in the Possibly Perfect Stakes(L) behind Kentucky Gal (Churchill), who also takes her place in the starting gate.