It perhaps wasn't the complete tour de force that the wagering public was expecting from their 1-2 shot but 'TDN Rising Star' Nooni (Win Win Win) found a way to get it done Saturday with a win in the GIII Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar.
The $1.8m OBS March sales topper, dubbed a 'Rising Star' off a 9 1/2-length drubbing of her competition at Santa Anita June 13, had to contend with only three rivals here–including her Bob Baffert-trained stablemate in $775,000 OBS April grad and fellow 'Rising Star' Casalu (Caracaro). In fact, all four runners represented first-crop stallions with Spun to Run's Night Beacon and Debutante Stakes winner Vodka With a Twist (Thousand Words) filling out the foursome.
Three of the four showed early speed and, as Night Beacon took back to trail, it was Nooni from the rail who broke through the line to set the tempo with Casalu not far off her through fractions of :21.87 and :44.90. The field stayed together around the far turn and everyone looked to have a chance with a quarter-mile to run even as Nooni remained up front under Juan Hernandez. Vodka With a Twist was the first to break up the stablemates with an outside run at the leader but was never quite able to reel her in and was relegated to second with Nooni roused to stay ahead to the wire.
“She was really comfortable,” said Hernandez. “She was really quick out of the gate. I had to push her a little at the end, but we did it. I asked her to run around the quarter pole and she switched leads and picked it up really well. You know, she gave me another good breath and she took another good step. It's only her second race but she looks really good so far. Can't wait to see how she improves.”
Baffert added: “When you're on the inside like that you have to go. I was hoping they wouldn't be battling each other. They went fast early but I like the way Nooni kept on going. I haven't really trained her that hard but she's just got real class. 2-year-old, second out, you don't know how they're going to respond to the dirt but these are nice fillies.”
Pedigree Note:
Freshman sire Win Win Win (by Hat Trick {Jpn}) has four winners from 11 starters with Nooni being his second stakes winner to date from his first crop, joining Win N Your In, who took Saturday's Sharp Susan Stakes. He was also represented by Saturday's Sharp Susan Stakes winner Win N Your In earlier in the day at Gulfstream Park. She is the third foal and second winner out of a Union Rags half-sister to MSW/MGSP Courtesan (Street Sense) and to SW Chary (Montbrook), herself the dam of SW Walker Stalker (Stroll), SP Chary Ride (Excessive Passion) and SP Scary Cherry (Metaboss). Another of her dam's half-sisters would produce GIII Holy Bull Stakes winner Hades (Awesome Slew) and last year's Astoria Stakes winner Devious Dame (Girvin). Third dam GISW Pretty Discreet is responsible for GISW Discreet Cat (Forestry), GISW Discreetly Mine (Mineshaft), MSW/MGISP Pretty Wild (Wild Again) and the dam of GISW Awesome Maria (Maria's Mon). Unanimity has a yearling full-brother to Nooni and foaled a colt by Gretzy the Great this year. She is due back to Win Win Win for 2025.
Saturday, Del Mar
SORRENTO S.-GIII, $147,000, Del Mar, 8-10, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.41, ft.
1–NOONI, 120, f, 2, by Win Win Win
1st Dam: Unanimity, by Union Rags
2nd Dam: Lady Discreet, by Boundary
3rd Dam: Pretty Discreet, by Private Account
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($1,800,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR). O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Ocala Stud, Joseph M. O'Farrell III, David O'Farrell, et al. (FL); T-Bob Baffert; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $90,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $122,400. Werk Nick Rating: D. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Vodka With a Twist, 123, f, 2, Thousand Words–Bourbon and a Kiss, by Sky Mesa. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($2,500 Ylg '23 FTKOCT; $90,000 RNA 2yo '24 KEEAPR). O-Medallion Racing, Omar Aldabbagh and William Strauss; B-Pillar Property Services Inc (KY); T-Philip D'Amato. $30,000.
3–Casalu, 120, f, 2, Caracaro–Key d'Oro, by Medaglia d'Oro. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($775,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR). O-Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman; B-LLP Performance Horses, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $18,000.
Margins: 1HF, 3 1/4, 5 3/4. Odds: 0.50, 2.10, 6.40.
Also Ran: Night Beacon. Scratched: White Sands.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
#1 NOONI ($3.00) goes gate-to-wire in the GIII Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar. @JJHernandezS19 was in the irons for trainer @BobBaffert and owner @ZedanRacing. pic.twitter.com/eAOBkOcNlu
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) August 10, 2024
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