Impressive Nooni to Meet Six in Del Mar Debutante

By almost any metric, Nooni stands out in the Sept. 7 Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1). She is far and away the highest-priced youngster sold thus far by freshman stallion Win Win Win, and her subsequent daylight triumphs have corroborated that value. Nooni also hails from the Bob Baffert barn, where 2-year-olds regularly win such races as the Debutante. Baffert has taken the race a record 10 times, dating back to Batroyale in 1995. Most recently, he had three in a row from 2019-21 with Bast, Princess Noor, and Grace Adler. Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni bid top price of $1.8 million for Nooni at this year's Ocala Breeders' March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Baffert trains the filly for Zedan Racing Stables, which also owned Princess Noor. In her June 13 debut at Santa Anita Park, going five furlongs and bet down to 1-5, Nooni spurted to the early lead and kept lengthening her advantage. She ultimately scored by 9 1/2 lengths while geared down to a canter by jockey Juan Hernandez. At Del Mar in the six-furlong Sorrento Stakes (G3) Aug. 10, Nooni held off closing Vodka With a Twist by 1 1/2 lengths as the 1-2 favorite. "I haven't really trained her that hard, but she's just got real class," Baffert said after the Sorrento. Since then, Baffert has worked Nooni five furlongs at Del Mar in 1:00 Aug. 24 and six furlongs in 1:11 4/5 Aug. 31. Hernandez is slated to return from post 2. "She's fast," Baffert said. "She makes the lead easily. She's been doing well. You never want to see them regress and it doesn't look like she has." Vodka With a Twist, a daughter of freshman stallion Thousand Words, has gotten closer to Nooni than anyone. She also has the most experience of the seven in the Debutante. She won twice in three starts in Kentucky, including in the six-furlong Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs in the mud. Phil D'Amato took over her training from Jason McCutchen after her first two outings following a change in ownership. She now races for owners Medallion Racing, Omar Aldabbagh, and Bill Strauss. Mike Smith, who piloted Vodka With a Twist in the Sorrento, will ride from post 4. Baffert has a second Debutante entrant in Tenma, a daughter of Nyquist. Baoma, which owned Bast, bought Tenma for $850,000 at this year's OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. In her only start, Tenma broke her maiden by a neck Aug. 18 at Del Mar for jockey Kazushi Kimura, who will ride her in the Debutante from post 6. "(Tenma) is more for distance," Baffert said. "I was surprised she won first out but she came off the pace and won. She came back and worked well. She looks good." So There She Was, trained by Doug O'Neill, ran second to Vodka With a Twist at Churchill in the Debutante while racing as a maiden. It was her second start, and she returned at Del Mar Aug. 10 to graduate from the maiden ranks by 1 3/4 lengths. O'Neill has given the call to regular pilot Antonio Fresu, and the daughter of Munnings drew post 3. Proud Starlet and Jack's Magic Girl come off debut maiden wins, while Night Beacon broke her maiden first out and then ran fourth in the Sorrento.