Del Mar Debutante Quick Picks

The $300,000 Del Mar Debutante (G1) for 2-year-old fillies is Del Mar’s premier event for 2-year-old fillies. Over the last twenty years, nine Debutante winners went on to year-end honors.

Although the Debutante is not a 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Challenge event, over the last decade, the Debutante has produced one winner and five runner-ups; the last was third-place finisher Bast (2019).

The only Grade 1 on Sunday’s meet, the Debutante is carded as race 10 with a 6:07 PM PT post time. Let’s review the fillies most likely to hit the board.

In the last decade, four Del Mar Debutante winners finished first or second in the Sorrento Stakes (G3).  The closely matched Elm Drive and Eda renew their rivalry in the Debutante. Only a head separated the pair in the Sorrento (G3).

#3 Elm Drive (5-2)

Elm Drive and Eda dueled throughout an exciting edition of the Sorrento, neither wanting to give an inch. However, Elm Drive stubbornly refused to yield.

In her final breeze, the Phil D’Amato trainee worked with a debut-placed maiden. It was no contest when Elm Drive was turned loose. The competitive filly quickly left her mate behind and took aim on another horse who was working in front of her. Elm Drive caught up and passed that one too.

#2 Eda (3-1)

Eda is technically still a maiden. In her debut, she was awarded the victory on a DQ after the winner made brief contact as they dueled down the lane. Eda ran a similar race in the Sorrento, fighting with Elm Drive throughout, but she couldn’t get past that filly.

The Bob Baffert trainee recorded a pre-race bullet six furlongs in 1:12.40 in her final work. Baffert’s 2-year-olds are winning at 22% rate this meet. Eda gets a jock switch to visiting veteran John Velazquez.

#7 Grace Adler (5-1)

Grace Adler is one of the few in the Debutante who can rate behind the speed. In a well-timed ride by Flavien Prat, Grace Adler made a wide move around the turn and slowly wore down the pacesetters to graduate by three-quarters length.

Bob Baffert’s charge has logged a series of four and five-furlong breezes, topped off by two recent six-furlong moves. Pratt, the meet’s leading rider, returns to ride.

#6 Rock the Belles (20-1)

Rock the Belles has a longshot chance to hit the board. Unfortunately, she will be ignored because she ran in a $150,000 maiden claimer, but she won by 3 1/2 lengths. Two rivals from that race returned, one a next out winner and the other placed fourth.

The Luis Mendez trainee recorded two sharp four-furlong pre-race breezes. Mendez’s 2-year-olds are winning at a 27% clip, and transplanted New Jersey native Joe Bravo is enjoying an excellent 24% percent winners in dirt sprints.

Del Mar Debutante Analysis

There’s a ton of speed in the Del Mar Debutante. Eda and Elm Drive could hook up on the front end again, setting it up for the other Baffert filly, Grace Adler. Any of the other fillies could fill out the exotics, so why not go with a longshot?

•         #7 Grace Adler (5-1)
•         #3 Elm Drive (5-2)
•         #2 Eda (3-1)
•         #6 Rock the Belles (20-1)

Make sure to also check out our Free Horse Betting Picks!