Miss Monica © Benoit Photo
Pegram/Watson/Weitman’s Miss Monica won for fun Saturday at Del Mar in the 76th running of the Grade I Del Mar Debutante. The dark bay or brown daughter of Early Voting tracked a pair of speed fillies for the first half mile of the seven furlong test, then assumed command readily and drew out to win in the end by six and a quarter lengths.
Her final time for the $302,000 stakes was 1:23.54. She was a stout 2/5 favorite and paid her backers $2.80 for $2.
Miss Monica was saddled by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert for his 13th victory in the Debutante. She was ridden by Juan Hernandez, who was capturing his 11th stakes of the meet.
The winning owners had won this race previously with Executiveprivilege in 2012.
Finishing second was McMillan and Bryner’s Crazy Hot Mess, who had a length and a half on By Talla Racing’s Holmby.
Miss Monica earned a first prize of $180,000. She is two-for-two in her brief career.
Racing will resume Sunday with a first post at 1:30 p.m.
JUAN HERNANDEZ (Miss Monica, winner) – “She broke OK, but those other two fillies were going fast up front My filly was doing fine and when I came up to those other two we just went right on by. She changed leads for me and when that happened it was all over.”
BOB BAFFERT (Miss Monica, winner) – “We had a great post and she was able to put herself into a good spot. J.J. Hernandez rode her with a lot of confidence. We know going seven-eighths is demanding but at the three-eighths pole you could tell she was cruising and she went to the lead on her own. She’s that good of a filly. I’m always happy to win this race especially for the ‘Three Amigos’ -- Pegram, Watson, and Weitman. I’m relieved. I knew she was going to win but crazy things happen.”
FRACTIONS: :21.96 :44.96 1:10.48 1:23.54
The stakes win was the 11th of the meet for rider Hernandez. It was his first in the Debutante. He now has 76 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The stakes win was the fourth of the meet for trainer Baffert. It was his 13th in the Debutante. He now has a record 194 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The winning owners are Pegram/Watson/Weitman and it is their second score in he race (Executiveprivilege, 2012).