Maidens Add Intrigue to Sorrento

[Wandering Eyes]

A half-dozen of the 10 juvenile fillies signed on for Sunday’s GII Sorrento S. at Del Mar were debut winners and a pair graduated at second asking, but the two runners yet to come home first in are anything but misplaced and figure to take plenty of tote action.

Del Mar May (Jimmy Creed) turned in what would have been a winning debut on most occasions, but ran into a buzzsaw named Brill (Medaglia d’Oro), the $1-million sales-topper from last year’s Fasig-Tipton July Sale, who was named a ‘TDN Rising Star’ for her 1 1/4-length defeat of 27-1 Del Mar May July 18. She drew widest in that field of 10 and occupies the widest barrier again Sunday afternoon, but a performance similar to her debut could equate to Sorrento success.

Bellafina (Quality Road) was hammered into 1-2 favoritism for her July 4 unveiling at Los Alamitos, but the $800,000 Fasig-Tipton Florida breezer couldn’t quite bridge the gap in the stretch and went down to a 1 1/4-length defeat at the hands of the impressive Katieleigh (Midnight Lute). Trainer Simon Callaghan elects to add blinkers to the mix and Bellafina has registered a pair of very strong breezes over the local strip since Independence Day.

Rockingham Ranch colorbearers have made their mark during the first couple of weeks at Del Mar, having made three trips to the winner’s circle from eight starts. One of the more popular of those winners was Boujie Girl (Flashback), who validated 2-5 favoritism with a romping 3 1/2-length success in an $80,000 maiden claimer July 26. The final time of that race would compare favorably with that achieved by Brill, but the competition here is decidedly steeper and Drayden Van Dyke deserts in favor of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ fellow first-out winner Stirred (Shakin It Up). The latter pulled clear late to don cap and gown by 1 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita June 21 and has since recorded three five-furlong works under her belt at Del Mar.

 

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