2016 Sorrento Stakes - Southern Girl and Champagne

The 2016 Sorrento Stakes (G2) is the first graded stakes race on the west coast for two-year-old fillies.  Typically used as a prep for the Del Mar Debutante (G1), the Sorrento attracted six youngsters who will travel 6 ½ furlongs for the first time. Bob Baffert and Doug O’Neil have captured the Sorrento twice each in the last six years. Surprisingly, their names are absent from the trainer line up.  In fact, none of the listed trainers have previously earned a victory in the Sorrento.

The one to beat

Topping the field is 2016 Landaluce Stakes runner-up MISS SOUTHERN MISS (More Than Ready - Miss Atlantic City, by Stormy Atlantic). The large, dark bay filly went to the post as the race favorite.  Miss Southern Miss had a wide trip in the Landaluce. She was in contention the entire way but had to settle for second best.  Miss Southern Miss’ dam Miss Atlantic City was a multiple stakes winning miler conditioned by Keith Desormeaux, who also handles Miss Southern Miss.  The filly’s second dam Fat City is a half-sister to Acorn Stakes (G1) heroine Cotton Blossom. The third dam For Dixie is also a stakes winner. The Desormeaux brothers team up and are 3-20 together over the last three months.

Could Upset

Auntjenn (Uncle Mo - World Event, by Quiet American) is the only filly in the race coming in off of a victory. The Kristin Mulhall trainee found 5 ½ furlongs too short in her debut, but she ran away from a nicely-bred field of maidens in her next start. The daughter of sensational sire Uncle Mo captured her second outing by 6 ½ lengths.  Half-brother, He's So Fine placed in the 2012 Saratoga Special (G2). This is the distaff line of G1 stakes winner Game Face. Trainer Kristin Mulhall wins with 18% of her charges jumping from maiden to stakes level. Martin Pedroza stays aboard.

Champagne Room (Broken Vow - Lucky to Be Me, by Bernstein) was stuck on the rail in her debut. She traveled behind the leaders most of the way, and gamely found a narrow opening on the rail in the stretch, but couldn’t run down the leader. Still, she missed by only 1 ½ lengths, and the extra distance should be in her favor.  Champagne Room’s dam is a half-sister to Inhisglory, a stakes winning sprinter/miler. The Peter Eurton trainee had a very strong pre-race 4F breeze and galloped out 5F in 1:00 flat.

Stepping Up

Unforgivable U (Langfuhr - Naseem, by Point Given) ships in from Pleasanton. After winning her debut, the bay filly faced a full field in the Juan Gonzalez Memorial Stakes. She dueled valiantly on the lead throughout the race but got a little tired at the end and was just beaten a length in the 5 ½ furlong stakes. Unforgivable U is a half-sister to Unstoppable U, a listed winner at 1 1/8 miles. Their dam won the 1 mile Lindsay Frolic Stakes as a two-year-old. Unforgivable U’s second dam is a half-sister to Champion and Horse of the Year Black Tie Affair. Trainer Jeff Bonde gave Unforgivable U two easy works to become acclimated to the Del Mar surface. Stewart Elliott takes over the reins for the first time. Elliott has been riding well this meet, and he has paired with Bonde for three wins.

The Grass is Greener

Ciao Bella Rosa (Kitten's Joy - Cat On a Tin Roof, by Catienus) made her debut on the lawn traveling a mile. She initially settled at the back of the pack, skimmed the rail along the turn and made a good effort to finish third.  Ciao Bella Rosa is the first foal out of an unraced mare. A couple of the dam’s full siblings won on dirt, but this is primarily a turf distaff family. Ciao Bella Rosa’s dam is a full sister to talented turf veteran Cannonball. A full sister bore the multiple SW turf sprinter Musical Flair.  The young filly returns only eight days after her debut, shortens up in distance, switches to dirt and faces better quality runners. Trainer Peter Miller has a 9% win rate with graded stakes.

Rooms (Giant's Causeway - Palau, by Kingmambo) didn’t fare as well as Ciao Bella Rosa when they met up in the one-mile turf race.  Rooms was pushed from the gate to duel with the pace setter early; then she tired to finish seventh.  Rooms should improve with distance and maturity. She's a half to two-year-old stakes winner Congo Kaye, Grade 2-placed Westwood Pride & multiple stakes placed Mambo With G. Their stakes placed dam is a half to the multiple stakes winning turf miler High Strike Zone. Like her rival Ciao Bella Rosa, Rooms returns only eight days after her last start, shortens up in distance, switches back to dirt and faces better quality runners. She also gets her third jock change in as many starts. The meet’s leading rider Flavien Pratt will guide Rooms around the Del Mar oval.

Selections

With only six entries, the Sorrento Stakes payout will be chalky, unless one of the turf fillies pulls a surprise. Naturally, there’s plenty of speed in the race and speed usually, wins at Del Mar.  Miss Southern Miss can get a good stalking trip from post two.   Champagne Room gets a chance to stalk from the outside. Her race figures indicate that she ran evenly, and her work pattern suggests that she’ll take a step forward. Auntjenn is making her third start in a month. That’s a lot to ask of a young filly in the beginning stages of her career. Ciao Bella Rosa and Rooms, not sure why they’re in here. Given time, both could develop into nice turf fillies. The racing secretary couldn’t find anyone else to fill the field?

#6 Champagne Room (5-2)

#2 Miss Southern Miss (2-1)

#5 Auntjenn (3-1)