Baffert taking three shots at ninth Starlet in a row

Like most graded stakes for two-year-olds on the Southern California circuit, the $200,000 Starlet (G2) at Los Alamitos has been the domain of horses trained by Bob Baffert. The Hall of Famer will saddle three of the six starters in Saturday's renewal at Los Alamitos while in search of his ninth consecutive win in the Starlet and 12th overall.

The three Baffert trainees are the three top choices on the morning line. Nimah, the early 6-5 favorite, wheels back on relatively short rest after winning her debut in wire-to-wire fashion at Del Mar on Nov. 23 while earning a 90 Brisnet Speed rating. Although that was over the sprint distance of 6 1/2 furlongs, Nimah does not figure to struggle with the Starlet's 1 1/16-mile journey as she is a daughter of Gun Runner and out of an A.P. Indy mare.

Aside from modest efforts in the Del Mar Debutante (G1) and Oak Leaf (G2) versus stablemates Bottle of Rouge and Explora, respectively, second choice Himika has useful stakes form. She easily captured the Sorrento (G3) in August and the Anoakia S. in October, both over six furlongs, and was beaten less than a length, albeit as a heavy 1-5 favorite, in the Desi Arnaz S. last time.

Baffert's third starter is Juddmonte homebred Consequent, who captured her debut over one mile at Del Mar on Nov. 14. The daughter of Into Mischief earned a 72 Speed rating for that effort.

Doug O'Neill has entered two in the Starlet. Cosmic Heat finished third in the Desi Arnaz, 4 1/4 lengths adrift of Himika, while Cashed steps into open company after a weakening second in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies S. on Breeders' Cup weekend. The outsider in the field is Jewlz, who eked out a win in a $32,000 maiden claimer in what was her fifth lifetime start.

The Starlet will award 2026 Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifying points of 10-5-3-2-1 to the respective top five finishers.