Nyquist’s Tenma Back on Top in Starlet

[Wandering Eyes]

Getting blinkers off following an uninspired third in her most recent start in the GII Oak Leaf at Santa Anita in October, Tenma (Nyquist) went to the front and never looked back, rolling to a confident victory in Saturday's GII Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos.

Hustled to the front by the newcoming Juan Hernandez, the Baoma Corp runner quickly encountered Look Forward (Bolt d'Oro), a debut winner at Del Mar last month, who pressed her from the inside through an opening quarter in :23.41. With the pair continuing to exchange blows through a reasonable :48.25 half, the leaders kept each other close rounding the home turn. Remaining in lockstep with their noses pointed to the wire, Look Forward gained a brief advantage in the lane but it was a stubborn Tenma who regained the winning thread late to easily best her rival. Favored Vodka With a Twist (Thousand Words), who finished runner-up in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies last out, rounded out the trifecta, well behind the top two.

“I worked her before her first race and then again last week and she went really good,” said Hernandez. “With the blinkers off she relaxed perfectly and was really enjoying herself out there.”

A neck winner under Kazushi Kimura in her career bow at Del Mar in August, the $850,000 OBSAPR grad followed up with a nose score ahead of Vodka With a Twist in the Sept. 7 GI Del Mar Debutante Stakes before her initial lifetime defeat last time out.

The victory represented the eighth for her Hall of Fame trainer, who also conditioned Dream Tree (2017), Chasing Yesterday (2018), Bast (2019), Varda (2020), Eda (2021), Faiza (2022) and Nothing Like You last year. He won the race three times when it was known as the Hollywood Starlet at Hollywood Park with Excellent Meeting (1998), Habibti (2001) and Streaming (2013).

“It's great to win the Starlet again,” said Baffert. “She had been training really well. She took a step back after Del Mar, so that's why we decided to pass the Breeders' Cup [Juvenile Fillies]. She was back to her old self and I thought she would bring her A game today and Juan (Hernandez) is riding with such confidence.”

 

Pedigree Notes:
Bred by TV celebrity chef Bobby Flay, the $200,000 Keeneland September yearling flourished into an $850,000 OBS April juvenile after Donato Lanni secured the flashy filly for Boama Corp. Tenma is the second foal for Amaganssett, purchased for $875,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale in 2018.

Second dam Twirl (Ire) is a full-sister to Irish Group 1 winner Misty For Me (Ire), herself responsible for MG1SWs U S Navy Flag and Roly Poly, both by War Front. Additionally, Misty For Me is also the dam of Group 1 scorer Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who in turn produced a pair of black-type winners. Unraced Amagansett, who produced a colt by Munnings in 2023, sold for $400,000 at last season's Fasig-Tipton November Sale.

 

After a mile and sixteenth duel #5 TENMA ($7.00) draws away from #4 Look Foward to win the $200,000 Starlet Stakes (G2) at @losalracing for trainer @BobBaffert – his eleventh victory in this race.
The 2yo daughter of @DarleyAmerica's Nyquist is owned by @BaomaCorp. pic.twitter.com/NdbBJ5GspB

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 8, 2024

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