By Christina Bossinakis
'TDN Rising Star' Himika proved that her impressive first-out victory at Santa Anita in June was no fluke, followed up with an equally effortless victory when taking Del Mar's GIII Sorrento Stakes Sunday.
Of a touch slow from her inside draw, the bay bullied her way through the tightly-knit pack heading through an honest :22.11 quarter. Edging past longshot My Kat (Gato Del Oro) approaching the home turn, she fired all boosters late, drawing off to score by a geared-down 4 1/4-length margin over Mo' Em Down, clear of Thank You India in third.
“She broke just a bit slow and I saw that outside filly [My Kat] going fast, so I didn't want to have to start chasing,” said winning rider Juan Hernandez. “I sent my filly up between horses and she was comfortable with it. There was space there and it worked out fine. At the 5/8ths [pole] she wanted to go, but I got her to wait. She took care of business in the stretch.”
Favored in her career debut while trying five furlongs in Arcadia, Himika broke from the inside in the five-horse field, and again came from just off the pace to win by a widening six-length margin.
“You always worry about the one hole…[Hernandez] had a hold of her since she stumbled there and she got behind a little bit,” said winning trainer Bob Baffert, garnering his ninth victory in the Sorrento. “She's young, second out and all, but Juan rode her with a lot of confidence. He put her in the right spot and he had a lot of horse the whole way. When she got to the quarter pole, I felt pretty good about it.”
Pedigree Notes:
Himika is out of Motivated Seller (Into Mischief), who was stakes placed for Klaravich Stables and trainer Chad Brown. The first foal out of that mare, Himika was offered by Klaravich at the OBSAPR Sale earlier this spring, and agent Donato Lanni extended to $900,000 to secure the filly on behalf of Susan Chu's Boama Corp.
Himika represents the 66th graded/group winner for leading sire Curlin.
In addition to Himika, the 8-year-old daughter of stakes-wining Coup has a yearling filly by Complexity and a foal colt by Jack Christopher. Motivated Seller was bred back to McKinzie.
Sunday, Del Mar
SORRENTO S.-GIII, $150,500, Del Mar, 8-10, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:10.61, ft.
1–HIMIKA, 120, f, 2, by Curlin
1st Dam: Motivated Seller (SP, $157,400),
by Into Mischief
2nd Dam: Coup, by Empire Maker
3rd Dam: French Lady (Nz), by Entrepreneur (GB)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($900,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR). O-Baoma Corp; B-Klaravich Stables Inc. (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $90,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $126,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Mo' Em Down, 123, f, 2, Caracaro–Welcome Aboard, by Rock Hard Ten. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($40,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). O-Altamira Racing Stable, Tom Kagele and Ernest Marchosky; B-Pope McLean, Marc McLean & Pope McLean Jr. (KY); T-Peter Miller. $30,000.
3–Thank You India, 118, f, 2, Practical Joke–Flame Mingo, by Blame. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($70,000 Ylg '24 FTKOCT; $140,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR). O-Michael Jawl; B-Burger Racing Stables LLC (KY); T-Andy Mathis. $18,000.
Margins: 4 1/4, 3 1/4, 3HF. Odds: 0.20, 4.00, 21.80.
Also Ran: My Kat, Stuffy Mist, Dreaming of Alys.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
🎶 HIMIKA ($2.40) is 2 for 2 after her impressive victory in the $150,000 Sorrento Stakes (G3) at @DelMarRacing. @JJHernandezS19 was aboard the 2YO daughter of Curlin. Congratulations to trainer @BobBaffert and owner @BaomaCorp.
💵 Bet Del Mar with @FanDuel Racing. pic.twitter.com/zIanyUqkeR
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) August 10, 2025
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