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Princess Noor Gives Baffert Ninth Victory In Del Mar Debutante

Zedan Racing Stable's high-priced filly ran like she was worth every penny of the $1.35 million owner Amir Zedan spent on her this past April at a 2-year-old in training sale and took down honors in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante Sunday afternoon at Del Mar near San Diego, Calif.

The well-made daughter from the first crop of the Giant's Causeway stallion Not This Time overcame some jostling at the start, then took command at the head of the lane to draw out to a 6 1/2-length tally in the 70th edition of the local championship race for 2-year-old fillies. As the 7-10 favorite in the field of six, she returned $3.40, $2.40 and $2.10 across the board after surviving a stewards inquiry that looked at the incident at the start.

Hall of Famer Victor Espinoza handled the filly for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Espinoza had been aboard her here on August 22 when she easily took her debut in a straight maiden race.

“Yes, she's a little green,” said Espinoza. “Only her second time (to race). 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. The other filly (My Girl Red) came out on me. 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.”

Princess Noor earned a winner's check for $150,000 from the $250,000 purse and now has a bankroll that reads $183,000.

Finishing second in the seven panel spin was Phoenix Thoroughbreds' Forest Caraway and third was Bolton, Leidel or Lipman, et al's Illumination. The second choice in the race, Erich G. Brehm's My Girl Red, who was involved in a bit of bumping with the winner away from the gate, appeared to take a bad step less than a furlong into the race and was pulled up by her rider. She was returned to her barn and reported to be fine.

Princess Noor ran the distance in 1:23.15, though she was under a stout hold for the last sixteenth of a mile.

The Debutante win was the fifth for rider Espinoza and ninth for trainer Baffert.

“We knew going in she was a special filly,” said Baffert by telephone from Kentucky. “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.”

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Stidham Ships Pixelate West To Win Del Mar Derby

Godolphin's Pixelate, benefitting from yet another perfectly timed ride on the turf by Del Mar's leading rider, Umberto Rispoli, was along in time to score by a head in the 76th running of the $200,000 Del Mar Derby Sunday at the shore oval near San Diego, Calif.

The invader from the East Coast — trained by Michael Stidham — had a near perfect trip saving ground and laying third for most of the run, then put it in gear down the lane for the Italian journeyman who is riding like a star in his first season at Del Mar. It was the fourth winner on the afternoon for Rispoli giving him a one-win lead – 49 to 48 — over his ace counterpart, Flavien Prat, who had a pair of victories on the card, including a stakes score that was his 14th of the meet, a Del Mar riding record. The battle for supremacy between these two exceptional riders at this 81st summer stand will come down to the 27th and final day of the meet on Monday.

Pixelate, a homebred City Zip colt and the 3-2 favorite, returned $5.00, $3.20 and $2.80 across the board after he covered the nine furlongs in 1:50.25. He picked up a winner's share of $120,000 and now has a record of three wins, five seconds and three thirds in 11 starts for winnings of $311,400.

Finishing second was Alfred Pais' Margot's Boy, while third was Paula Capestro's Dominant Soul.

“I talked to Mike (trainer Michael Stidham) this morning and we both agreed that we had the best horse in the race. I said I wanted to ride him up closer than normal for him; I told him this is a smaller tighter course, not like Churchill (Downs). He said: 'You ride him like you want to.' I had a great trip and he fired when he had to. I'm very happy. And I've waited 16 years (his riding career) to wear these (pointing to the Godolphin royal blue silks).”

Earlier on the card, Kaleem Shah's Madone split horses at the head of the stretch and went gamely through the stretch under Flavien Prat to capture the ninth running of the $75,000 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf at a mile on the grass by a half length.

The victory gave rider Prat his 14th stakes win of the meeting, establishing a new mark for stakes scores in a single summer session. Previously, Rafael Bejarano held the record with 13 victories set in 2012.

Madone paid $5.20, $3.00 and $2.40 across the board as the race favorite and earned a check for $$48,300 for his second victory in two starts and now shows winnings of $81,300.

CYBT, Nentwig or Altamira Racing Stable's Nimbostratus was second across the line, but moved back to third for interference in the stretch with LNJ Foxwoods' Ivy League, who was moved up from third to second.

Final time for the 2-year-old filly stakes was 1:39.09.

Del Mar's closing card will take place tomorrow on Labor Day with an 11-race program on tap. First post will be at 1 p.m.

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Come Dancing Regains Winning Form In Honorable Miss

Blue Devil Racing Stable's Come Dancing sat patiently off a torrid pace and picked up a fifth graded stakes victory proving to be much the best in the 29th running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Honorable Miss for fillies and mares going six furlongs over the main track at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Guided by jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., Come Dancing broke sharply from her inside post but took back into fourth as graded stakes winner Lady's Island threw down swift splits of 21.64 for the opening quarter and 43.81 for the half-mile over the fast main track.

Around the far turn, Come Dancing began making up ground and moved a path to the outside of multiple graded stakes winner Blamed and got her cue from Ortiz, Jr. at the quarter pole.

With Lady's Island to catch, Come Dancing was under an all-out drive and charged in between rivals and took command just past the eighth-pole. She hit the wire a three-quarter length winner, stopping the clock in a time of 1:08.74.

Lady's Island finished second, 2 3/4 lengths ahead of Blamed. Unholy Alliance, Pink Sands, Bye Bye J and Pacific Gale completed the order of finish.

Come Dancing's last victory took place in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom last September at Belmont Park. Prior to that effort, she won against graded stakes company at all three NYRA tracks taking the Grade 3 Distaff at Aqueduct Racetrack, the Grade 2 Ruffian at Belmont Park and the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga.

“I was happy to see that Irad was able to get her to break and settle and he had her in the clear when he made his move,” said trainer Carlos Martin. “The track has been very fast, but I just wanted to see the old Come Dancing give us a run like the champion that she is. It's very gratifying that Marc [Holliday, Blue Devil Racing Stable] brought her back. A lot of naysayers were saying she lost a step but hopefully she can come back and finish the year strong and we can be vindicated. I'm so happy for Come Dancing, she's a special horse for us.”

Ortiz, Jr., who picked up his tenth stakes win of the meet, was piloting Come Dancing for the first time since October 2018, where she was fifth in the Grade 1 Beldame.

“I'm happy to be back on her today,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “I haven't ridden her in a long time but she's as good as she's ever been. Hopefully, she stays sound and healthy.”

Ortiz, Jr. said a clean break from the gate was instrumental in the victory.

“I thought I had the best filly, so I tried to stay close and not give them a chance to steal the race,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “She broke well today. Last time she missed the break and today she broke good and sat a little closer and I think that was the key.”

Returning $4.70 as the post time favorite, Come Dancing enhanced her lifetime earnings to $1,186,783 and her record to 18-8-3-0.

Live racing returns Monday with a 14-race card to close out the 40-day Saratoga summer meet highlighted by the Grade 1, $250,000 Runhappy Hopeful at seven furlongs for 2-year-olds; and the $85,000 Lure, a 1 1/16-mile turf test for older horses. First post is 11:30 a.m.

Live racing will then move to Belmont Park for the 27-day fall meet, featuring 38 stakes worth $5.58 million in purse money, that will kick off on Friday, September 18 and run through Sunday, November 1

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Princess Noor Rules in Del Mar Debutante

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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