Explora meets Himika in Del Mar Debutante; Gimme a Nother ships for Mabee

Bob Baffert bids for a record-extending 12th win in the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante (G1) on Saturday, and the Hall of Fame horseman sends out a strong trio including Explora and Himika. Also on the Del Mar card are a pair of turf stakes, the $250,000 John C. Mabee (G2) and the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf. 

Del Mar Debutante (G1) – Race 6, 7 p.m. ET

Sorrento (G3) romper Himika has won her two starts by a combined margin of 10 1/4 lengths, so it’s noteworthy that leading rider Juan Hernandez jumps to her stablemate Explora. 

Campaigned by longtime Baffert clients Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, Explora looked a class apart in her debut here Aug. 17. The prohibitive 1-5 favorite went wire to wire by 4 3/4 lengths, as if merely breezing. Hernandez kept busy by looking over his shoulder for non-existent threats because he didn’t need to ask her for anything. 

Explora, a $350,000 purchase at Fasig-Tipton’s Midlantic Sale this May, will break from the rail in the Debutante. But she had no issue with post 2 last time, and the daughter of Blame figures to handle the added ground in the seven-furlong Debutante.

Himika will try to become the third Debutante winner for Baoma Corp., after Bast (2019) and Tenma (2024). The $900,000 OBS April juvenile dominated her Santa Anita premiere and justified 1-5 favoritism in the Sorrento, where she rallied smartly from just off the pace. Her style so far suggests that she’ll be chasing early. Kazushi Kimura picks up the mount on the Curlin filly, who is drawn next to Explora in post 2.

The barn’s third entrant, Bottle of Rouge, sports the colors of Baffert’s wife, Jill. A distant second to Himika in their five-furlong Santa Anita maiden, the daughter of Vino Rosso appreciated the step up to 6 1/2 furlongs when rolling next time out at Del Mar. Mike Smith will be her third jockey. 

That pedigree angle applies no less forcefully to La Wally, who hopes to add to trainer Mark Glatt’s successful meet. By Constitution and out of a half-sister (by Gemologist) to 2020 Kentucky Oaks (G1) heroine Shedaresthedevil, La Wally closed furiously to get up in her five-furlong debut here July 19. The $300,000 Keeneland September yearling keeps Antonio Fresu in the saddle. 

Another eligible to improve over the Debutante trip is Grandma Mary. A Ruis Racing homebred by their past star Bolt d’Oro, Grandma Mary missed by a half-length to Bourbon and Ginger in their mutual debut at 5 1/2 furlongs.

Yet Bourbon and Ginger is herself by Bolt d’Oro, suggesting that she too can move forward. The Richard Mandella trainee is a half-sister to 2023 Demoiselle (G2) winner Life Talk.

Fourlynnes has the most questions to answer, as a $32,000 maiden claiming graduate. 

Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf – Race 7, 7:30 p.m. ET

In a field of 13 promising fillies, Yours Sincerely and Soaring Angel are the only two proven over the one-mile distance.

Irish import Yours Sincerely created quite an impression in her stateside bow. Slowly away in an Aug. 16 maiden over this course, the Phil D’Amato pupil exploded in last-to-first fashion. Runner-up Improbable U, troubled fourth Dats Ms. Blame, and eighth-placer Got the Ring are set to renew rivalry with Yours Sincerely on Saturday. Interestingly, Got the Ring gets a rider switch back to Smith, who previously guided her to a much better second to Soaring Angel on July 26. 

Soaring Angel, a half-sister to Grade 1 victor and last year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) runner-up Johannes, employed stalk-and-pounce tactics in her local premiere. From the first crop of 2021 Horse of the Year Knicks Go, Soaring Angel is also a half-sister to Sea Runner, who was third in last year’s edition of this race. Like Johannes and Sea Runner, she is a Cuyathy homebred trained by Tim Yakteen.

Several other contenders are stretching out from turf sprint scores – fellow Yakteen pupil South Bay, who beat Hypergamy in their mutual debut here; Michael McCarthy’s La Ville Lumiere, last seen landing a May 30 maiden at Santa Anita; Cara Rose, the third-placer in that maiden who recently graduated in California-restricted company over this course; and the Simon Callaghan-trained Queen Bay, another winner from Santa Anita May 30. 

John C. Mabee (G2) – Race 9, 8:30 p.m. ET

Trainer Graham Motion, who dispatched Heredia to plunder the Aug. 9 Yellow Ribbon H. (G2), uses a similar playbook for the John C. Mabee. This time, it’s not a British recruit rounding into form on the comeback trail, but former South African champion Gimme a Nother in search of her first win in North America. 

Unbeaten in South Africa, Gimme a Nother resurfaced with an excellent second off an 11-month layoff in the March 8 Hillsborough (G2) at Tampa Bay Downs. She progressed to turn the tables on Hillsborough winner Saffron Moon in the May 2 Modesty (G3) at Churchill Downs, although they filled the minor placings behind course record-setting She Feels Pretty. After floundering on Saratoga’s yielding turf in the New York (G1), Gimme a Nother appeared in a winnable spot in the Canadian (G2) at Woodbine, only to get mugged by Ready for Shirl. In another parallel to Heredia, she picks up the services of Hernandez.

Grade 3 veteran Medoro turned in one of her better efforts over this course and distance when runner-up in last year’s Del Mar Oaks (G1). The Peter Eurton filly also boasts a formline with She Feels Pretty, likewise from 2024, as the third-placer in the American Oaks (G1). Unraced until this summer, Medoro returned triumphant in the July 20 Osunitas S.

Defending champion Hang the Moon is one of a quartet from the D’Amato barn. A ring-rusty fourth in her belated reappearance in the Yellow Ribbon, Hang the Moon is liable to be a different proposition on Saturday. Stablemates Public Assembly and Mission of Joy were second and sixth, respectively, in the Yellow Ribbon, while Kentucky Gal cuts back to 1 1/8 miles after a fifth in the CTT & TOC S. 

Multiple Grade 3-placed Mahina, fifth in the Yellow Ribbon, is a daughter of 2011 Mabee runner-up Malibu Pier. Rounding out the cast are recent allowance winner Baltic Fire and Hopeful.