Baffert Impacts Debutante - Los Angeles Times
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Baffert Impacts Debutante

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It has been almost seven years since a horse not trained by Bob Baffert has won the Del Mar Futurity, and the trainer has been nearly as dominant in the $250,000 Del Mar Debutante, which will be run for the 52nd time today.

Baffert has won the Debutante, the last Grade I race of the Del Mar meet, five of the last seven years and four of the last five.

Santa Catarina has a chance to continue Baffert’s good fortune in the seven-furlong Debutante as she makes her stakes debut against eight other 2-year-old fillies.

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Owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis, who have never won the Debutante, the daughter of Unbridled stamped herself one of the better members of her class with an eight-length maiden win here Aug. 11. She has trained well since the race and looks capable of making the jump from the maiden ranks to Grade I winner, as Habibti did for Baffert in 2001.

The most accomplished member of the field is the unbeaten Buffythecenterfold, a Capote filly trained by Mel Stute and named for former Playboy centerfold Buffy Tyler.

Buffythecenterfold is three for three with two stakes wins--in the Landaluce at Hollywood Park and the local Sorrento.

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Race of the day: Zavata will be heavily favored to win for the fourth time in five starts in today’s $200,000 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga.

The Hopeful is a Grade I at seven furlongs.

Who’s hot: Patrick Valenzuela. Headed for his first Del Mar riding title since 1991, Valenzuela won four races Thursday and two Friday.

Who’s not: The field in today’s fifth at Sacramento. The six maiden fillies and mares are 0 for 79.

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Exotically speaking: A trifecta in the eighth using Santa Catarina and Sea Jewel on top, those two plus Miss Houdini in the two hole and all in the third spot.

Winners (through Friday): Previous day/meet total: 3/68. Money: Previous day/meet total: $15.80/$400.80. Total money bet: $560.

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