Baffert Impacts Debutante

It has been almost seven years since a horse not trained by Bob Baffert has won the Del Mar Futurity, and the trainer has been nearly as dominant in the $250,000 Del Mar Debutante, which will be run for the 52nd time today.

Baffert has won the Debutante, the last Grade I race of the Del Mar meet, five of the last seven years and four of the last five.

Santa Catarina has a chance to continue Baffert’s good fortune in the seven-furlong Debutante as she makes her stakes debut against eight other 2-year-old fillies.

Owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis, who have never won the Debutante, the daughter of Unbridled stamped herself one of the better members of her class with an eight-length maiden win here Aug. 11. She has trained well since the race and looks capable of making the jump from the maiden ranks to Grade I winner, as Habibti did for Baffert in 2001.

The most accomplished member of the field is the unbeaten Buffythecenterfold, a Capote filly trained by Mel Stute and named for former Playboy centerfold Buffy Tyler.

Buffythecenterfold is three for three with two stakes wins--in the Landaluce at Hollywood Park and the local Sorrento.

Race of the day: Zavata will be heavily favored to win for the fourth time in five starts in today’s $200,000 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga.

The Hopeful is a Grade I at seven furlongs.

Who’s hot: Patrick Valenzuela. Headed for his first Del Mar riding title since 1991, Valenzuela won four races Thursday and two Friday.

Who’s not: The field in today’s fifth at Sacramento. The six maiden fillies and mares are 0 for 79.

Exotically speaking: A trifecta in the eighth using Santa Catarina and Sea Jewel on top, those two plus Miss Houdini in the two hole and all in the third spot.

Winners (through Friday): Previous day/meet total: 3/68. Money: Previous day/meet total: $15.80/$400.80. Total money bet: $560.