By Alan Carasso
The betting public had Saturday's GI Del Mar Debutante down to a battle of Bob Baffert-trained 'TDN Rising Stars' Explora (Blame) and Himika (Curlin), but Jill Baffert's Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso)–easily the least-fancied of a trio from that barn–proved best on the afternoon, causing a 9-1 upset.
Veering in at the break, the $60,000 Keeneland November weanling and $100,000 Keeneland September yearling took up a mid-field berth in the early stages as 3-5 Explora rolled up at the fence to take up the running, while Himika sat a good trip just in behind those.
The latter peeled away from the inside and Bottle of Rouge ranged up three deep, and at the quarter pole, it was a Baffert 1-2-3, with any of the trio in with a chance. Himika was first to hoist the white flag and Explora began to feel the pinch of a decent early gallop, and that allowed Mike Smith and Bottle of Rouge to race over the top and cause a pretty significant upset. Explora settled for second ahead of longshot La Wally (Constitution) in third. Baffert was unsaddling his 12th Debutante winner dating back to 1995.
“The way the race set up, they were moving right along up front so it doesn't surprise me that's the way we ended up finishing,” said assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes. “They're all lightly raced fillies. That's her third start so that helps. We'll take a one-two finish anytime. We're just very proud of her.”
Runner-up to Himika in that one's six-length debut romp at Santa Anita June 12, Bottle of Rouge was bet into even-money for a 6 1/2-furlong test here on Aug. 9 and cruised home to graduate by 6 3/4 lengths.
Pedigree Notes:
Bottle of Rouge is the seventh stakes winner and first at the Grade I level for Spendthrift Farm's Vino Rosso.
The Apr. 8 foal is one of two winners from three to race from a half-sister to GSW San Pablo (Jump Start) and MGSP Slider (Prenup), who is also responsible for Bottle of Rouge's yearling full-sister and a weanling filly by Yaupon. Blues Corner was bred back to the latter for her 2026 foal.
Saturday, Del Mar
DEL MAR DEBUTANTE S.-GI, $301,000, Del Mar, 9-6, 2yo, f, 7f, 1:23.05, ft.
1–BOTTLE OF ROUGE, 120, f, 2, by Vino Rosso
1st Dam: Blues Corner, by Bluegrass Cat
2nd Dam: Hunt's Corner, by Silver Ghost
3rd Dam: Treacherous Twist, by Torsion
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
WIN. ($60,000 Wlg '23 KEENOV; $100,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP).
O-Natalie J. Baffert; B-Kathie Maybee (KY); T-Bob Baffert;
J-Mike E. Smith. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $240,000.
Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Explora, 120, f, 2, by Blame
1st Dam: Collections Choice, by Bernardini
2nd Dam: Model, by Giant's Causeway
3rd Dam: Snowfire (GB), by Machiavellian
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK
TYPE. ($22,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP; $350,000 2yo '25 EASMAY).
'TDN Rising Star' O-Pegram, Michael E., Watson, Karl &
Weitman, Paul; B-Mesingw Farm, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert.
$60,000.
3–La Wally, 120, f, 2, by Constitution
1st Dam: Moonstone, by Gemologist
2nd Dam: Starship Warpspeed, by Congrats
3rd Dam: Andria's Forest, by Forestry
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK
TYPE. ($300,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). O-Muir Hut Stables LLC;
B-Gage Hill Stable II, LLC, W. S. Farish & Ken Langone (KY);
T-Mark Glatt. $36,000.
Margins: 1, HF, 7 3/4. Odds: 9.10, 0.60, 10.30.
Also Ran: Himika, Bourbon and Ginger, Grandma Mary, Fourlynnes. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
BOTTLE OF ROUGE ($20.20) and @mikeesmith10 give trainer @BobBaffert his 12th victory in the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) at @DelMarRacing. The 2YO filly by @spendthriftfarm's Vino Rosso is owned by Jill Baffert. pic.twitter.com/NUdgOCfTJM
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) September 6, 2025
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