By Christie DeBernardis
Rick and Sharon Waller's undefeated Spectator (Jimmy Creed) looks to score her first top-level success in Saturday's GI Del Mar Debutante S. Romping by 5 1/4 lengths in her Santa Anita unveiling June 23, the chestnut captured this venue's GII Sorrento S. by the exact same margin Aug. 5 to become the first stakes winner for her freshman sire (by Distorted Humor).
Moonshine Memories (Malibu Moon) is one of two “TDN Rising Stars” stepping up in class off impressive maiden wins. The $650,000 FTSAUG buy overcame a slow start to earn her “TDN Rising Star” nod in her Aug. 19 unveiling here. Hall of Famer Bob Baffert seeks his eighth win in this test with Just a Smidge (Into Mischief), who also became a “TDN Rising Star” after overcoming a slow start and gamely fending off a SP rival.
It's only fitting that just two days after the retirement of Fox Hill Farm's two-time champion Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro), owner Rick Porter and regular rider Mike Smith team up to try to win the Del Mar Debutante, which was her first Grade I score in 2015, with Poetic (Violence). While Songbird was conditioned by Jerry Hollendorfer, Poetic is trained by fellow Hall of Famer Richard Mandella and enters off a first-out graduation going 5 1/2 furlongs here July 30. Smith also piloted Moonshine Memories in her debut win, but chose to stick with this runner here.
Another impressive first-out winner that deserves a mention is the Richard Baltas-trained Gas Station Sushi (Into Mischief), who zipped home to a 3 1/2-length victory in her career bow here Aug. 6.
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