by Tom Musgrave
The top three finishers from the Sorrento Stakes (G3) on August 6 at Del Mar will return to the seaside track for the Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) on Monday.
Evita Argentina, Stardom Bound, and Emmy Darling—first, second, and third, respectively, in the 6 1/2-furlong Sorrento—each will stretch out to seven furlongs for the Del Mar Debutante as they try to establish Grade 1 credentials heading into the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) on October 24 at Santa Anita Park.
In the Sorrento, Halo Farms' and Three Sisters Thoroughbreds's Evita Argentina rallied from off the pace and overtook two opponents in the stretch to win by one length. Since notching that victory, the chestnut Candy Ride (Arg) filly has had two workouts for trainer Christopher Paasch, going four furlongs in :48.20 on August 17 at Hollywood Park and a bullet six furlongs in 1:11 on Monday at Del Mar.
If Eva Argentina is going to return to the winner's circle, she will have to hold off Charles Cono's Stardom Bound, who was a hard-charging second in the Sorrento, making a late bid from sixth in early stretch.
Emmy Darling finished fourth, but was placed third in the Sorrento after stewards ruled that third-place finisher and Del Mar Debutante entrant Glitter City interfered with Emmy Darling's run. Ike and Dawn Thrash's Emmy Darling will try to add another stakes win to her record, having already annexed the six-furlong Landaluce Stakes, a race in which Glitter City finished second, on June 28 at Hollywood.
Trifecta King, last of ten in the Sorrento, also is entered in the Del Mar Debutante. She won the 5 1/2-furlong Cinderella Stakes on May 25 at Hollywood.
Tom Musgrave is internet content editor of Thoroughbred Times
The field, in post-position order, with (sire), jockey, weight, and trainer:
1. Palacio de Amor (Dixieland Band), Victor Espinoza, 117, Myung Kwon Cho;
2. Will O Way (Broken Vow), Joel Rosario, 117, Vladimir Cerin;
3. Evita Argentina (Candy Ride [ARG]), Alex O. Solis, 121, John W. Sadler;
4. Stardom Bound (Tapit), Mike E. Smith, 115, Christopher S. Paasch;
5. Saucey Evening (More Than Ready), Garrett K. Gomez, 117, H. Graham Motion;
6. Candilejas (Candy Ride [ARG]), Martin Garcia, 117, Jeff Mullins;
7. Trifecta King (Peace Rules), Alonso Quinonez, 119, Doug F. O'Neill;
8. Glitter City (City Place), Michael C. Baze, 117, Jeff Mullins;
9. Montana Fields (Pulpit), Rafael Bejarano, 117, Jerry Hollendorfer;
10. Turtle Creek Babe (Grand Slam), Joseph Talamo, 117, Ronald L. McAnally;
11. Emmy Darling (Graeme Hall), David Romero Flores, 121, John W. Sadler; and
12. Empressive Lady (Empire Maker), Tyler Baze, 117, Jeff Mullins.