Del Mar: Seismic Beauty leads all the way for Baffert in Hirsch

Post-time favorite Seismic Beauty led from gate to wire, but she still had to outlast a late rally by Kopion for her 1 1/2-length triumph Saturday in the Grade 1, $400,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes for six fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the Del Mar main track.

It was the third consecutive Hirsch victory for both trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Juan Hernández. They teamed for Adare Manor’s wins in 2023 and 2024. Owned by MyRacehorse and Peter Leidel, Seismic Beauty earned an automatic invitation to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff covering 1 1/8 miles of the same Del Mar track Nov. 1.

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A 4-year-old Uncle Mo filly, Seismic Beauty (1-1) ran out to fractions of 22.85, 46.63 and 1:10.32 with Royal Spa (9-1) stalking in second and Richi (7-2) tracking in third. Kopion, ridden by Kazushi Kimura for trainer Richard Mandella, accelerated through the second turn and moved up from fifth place to make a wide challenge down the homestretch.

As his lead was shrinking, Seismic Beauty got through a mile in 1:35.52 and held on for about a two-length win with a time of 1:42.33. She paid $4.20, $3.00 and $2.10 across the board.

Kopion, a two-time Grade 1 winner, finished second and returned $3.20 and $2.10. Third-place Richi, who also came from the Baffert barn, came in third and paid $2.10 to show. Royal Spa, Baffert-trained Nothing Like You (26-1) and Little Hidden Port (52-1) completed the finish in that order. Mahina was scratched.

Seismic Beauty won for the third time in a row. Her last-out victory came in the 1 1/8-mile Santa Margarita (G2) on May 25 at Santa Anita. Saturday marked her first start since that stakes debut.