Seven Juvenile Fillies Meet Friday in Del Mar’s Sorrento

By Mac McBride —-

In what appears to be a wide-open edition of the Grade II, $150,000 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar, seven fillies will face starter Jay Slender Friday for a six-furlong tussle that will reward the one home first with a nice payday, a chunk of black type and a leg up toward the meet’s top prize for 2-year-old distaff runners — the $250,000, Grade I Del Mar Debutante on Sunday, September 6.

The 52nd running of the race features a trio of local juveniles who all scored their maiden victories last out; a trio of out-of-town runners who also scored their maiden victories last out, and a first-time starter who drew a big price at a 2-year-olds in training sale and has been working steadily toward her debut.

Here’s the lineup from the rail out with riders:

Reddam Racing’s Get On the Bus, Mario Gutierrez up; Kagele or Shaw’s September Secret, Abel Cedillo; Tricar Stables’ Exchange Vows, Assael Espinoza; Erich Brehm’s My Girl Red, Flavien Prat; Chapman or Tsujimoto’s Trip to Seoul, Edwin Maldonado; Chapman or Biddinger’s Scaterra, Umberto Rispoli, and Chapman Or Tsujimoto’s Scat’s Choice, J.C. Diaz, Jr.

The three locals have the benefit of both experience and a feel for the Del Mar strip. In September Secret’s case that is especially so in that she won a $50,000 maiden-claiming race at the shore oval on July 24 and now is wheeled back just over two weeks later for her stakes debut. She’s a California-bred by Grazen and is trained by Peter Miller.

My Girl Red, bred by her owner and sired by Texas Red, a horse Keith Desormeaux – My Girl Red’s conditioner – also trained, comes off a four and a half-length score at Santa Anita in a straight maiden race on June 14. Leading rider Flavien Prat chooses to stay with her for her stakes debut.

Exchange Vows won by three in a $50,000 maiden-claimer at Los Alamitos on July 2. She’s turned in three five-furlong works at Del Mar since.

The trio of out-of-towners are part-owned and trained by James Chapman. Trip to Seoul scored her first victory at Mountaineer Park in West Virginia; Scaterra broke through in her first attempt at Arlington Park outside Chicago, and Scat’s Choice was a winner at Belterra Park in Cincinnati.

The first-timer fetched $340,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale in March after working an eighth of a mile in :10.1. She’s by the top stallion Uncle Mo and has had a series of steady works for his stakes – and racing – bow.