Already with a GI Kentucky Derby victory in the bag, Bob Baffert got another superstar performance from one of his charges this weekend, as 'TDN Rising Star' Princess Noor (Not This Time) ran away to an explosive victory in the GI Del Mar Debutante Sunday at the seaside oval.
Topping the delayed OBS April sale when hammering to Gary Young for $1.35 million following a dazzling :20 1/5 quarter-mile breeze, the dark bay did not disappoint when unveiled locally Aug. 22, going wire to wire essentially on her own power the entire race. Back on relatively short rest here, she was pounded down to odds-on from an 8-5 morning-line quote.
Breaking inwardly, bumping into second choice and GII Sorrento S. heroine My Girl Red (Texas Red) and squeezing that one back to last, Princess Noor settled in a three-wide third as barnmate Illumination (Medaglia d'Oro) dictated terms through a :23.01 quarter. My Girl Red, who never got involved, was pulled up at that point. The favorite moved in tandem with Forest Caraway (Bodemeister) to overhaul the frontrunner past a :45.49 half, but was going easier of the two and left the other two behind at the top of the stretch.
Drifting in a bit once set down, she straightened quickly, asserted herself fully past the furlong grounds and was under wraps for much of the remainder for an extremely auspicious romp. Forest Caraway held for second. The stewards posted an inquiry regarding the winner's leftward break, but no action was taken.
“We knew going in she was a special filly,” said Baffert. “She showed so much brilliance at the sale, that's why she cost so much, and we got what we expected to see today. She broke a little off kilter and was behind horses, but Victor didn't really push her, especially at the end. We're happy to get the win. We'll run her back at Santa Anita and then go from there.”
“She's a little green. Only her second time [to race],” added winning rider Victor Espinoza. “Coming away from there she went in a bit and I tried to get her off as quickly as I could. You try to control the babies as best as you can, especially at the break. My filly was OK from there. I really don't know how good she is, because I haven't let her run yet. It's nice to be back at Del Mar and riding good horses.”
Pedigree Notes:
The first stakes winner for red-hot freshman sire Not This Time, Princess Noor completed a sweep for first-crop stallions in Sunday's Grade I juvenile races after Vequist (Nyquist) romped in the GI Spinaway S. at Saratoga. She is the second foal to race for Sheza Smoke Show, an upset victress of the GIII Senorita S. on turf for Peter Eurton in 2014. Both her second dam and third dam are stakes winners. A $185,000 purchase at Keeneland November in 2017, Sheza Smoke Show has a yearling colt by Protonico and foaled a Tapwrit filly Feb. 19 before returning to the former sire.
Sunday, Del Mar
DEL MAR DEBUTANTE S.-GI, $250,500, Del Mar, 9-6, 2yo, f, 7f, 1:23.15, ft.
1–PRINCESS NOOR, 122, f, 2, by Not This Time
1st Dam: Sheza Smoke Show (GSW, $150,644), by Wilko
2nd Dam: Avery Hall, by A. P Jet
3rd Dam: Royal Form, by Dynaformer
'TDN Rising Star' 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES
WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($135,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP; $1,350,000
2yo '20 OBSAPR). O-Zedan Racing Stables Inc; B-International
Equities Holding, Inc. (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Victor Espinoza.
$150,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $183,000. First stakes
winner for freshman sire (by Giant's Causeway). Werk Nick
Rating: C+. Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Forest Caraway, 122, f, 2, by Bodemeister
1st Dam: Thin Disguise, by Yes It's True
2nd Dam: Naughty Natisha, by Known Fact
3rd Dam: Noble Natisha, by Noble Commander
($70,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV; $27,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP).
O-Phoenix Thoroughbred III; B-SpruceLane, Stepwise,
GroundThunder, Robbins, Copper Beech, Lynn et al. (KY);
T-Peter Miller. $50,000.
3–Illumination, 120, f, 2, by Medaglia d'Oro
1st Dam: Light the City, by Street Sense
2nd Dam: Light From Above, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Very Special Lite, by Majestic Light
($900,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG). O-George Bolton, Peter & Karin
Leidel, Barry Lipman & Kerri Radcliffe; B-Breeze Easy, LLC (KY);
T-Bob Baffert. $30,000.
Margins: 6HF, 2 1/4, 5 1/4. Odds: 0.70, 4.00, 7.40.
Also Ran: Get On the Bus, Roll Up Mo Money, My Girl Red.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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