Executiveprivilege, perfect in two starts including an easy victory in the Landaluce Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park last month, will be a solid favorite in the $150,000 Sorrento Stakes (gr. III) at Del Mar Aug. 8.
Eight other 2-year-old fillies are entered in the Sorrento, contested at 6 1/2 furlongs on Polytrack. The race is the seventh on the Wednesday card with a scheduled post of 5 p.m. PDT.
Executiveprivilege, a talented Kentucky-bred daughter of First Samurai purchased for $650,000 in April at Ocala Breeders Sales' Co., can provide trainer Bob Baffert with his sixth success in the Sorrento. The race is a major prelude to the Del Mar Debutante (gr. I) Sept. 1.
Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman own the bay filly, who began her career with a 4 1/2-length tally over a maiden special weight field going 5 1/2 furlongs at Hollywood June 28. She returned to take the six-furlong Landaluce by 3 1/4 lengths at odds of 3-10. Executiveprivilege came from off the pace in both prior races.
Rafael Bejarano again has the mount on Executiveprivilege, who breaks from post 7 as the 123-pound high weight.
Landaluce runner-up Speedinthruthecity was entered back in the Sorrento by trainer Peter Miller. Also coming out of the Landalcue are Renee's Queen (fourth) and O Happy Gray (fifth).
Somethingabouther ships in from Kentucky following a runner-up finish in a stakes at Colonial Downs on a yielding turf July 21. The daughter of War Chant makes her first start for trainer James Cassidy.
Last-out maiden winners are Switch to the Lead, trained by Patrick Biancone, Bares Tripper for Miller, and Serious, from the Brian Koriner barn.
Reddam Racing's Wittgenstein, an Irish-bred daughter of Shamardal making her United States debut for trainer Brian Meehan, races without Lasix. She was winless in three maiden tries in England.
$150,000 Sorrento Stakes (gr. III, Race 7, 5 p.m.), 2YO Fillies, 6 1/2 Furlongs (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. O Happy Gray (CA), V Espinoza, 119, M Harrington
2. Renee's Titan (KY), C S Nakatani, 117, D F O'Neill
3. Serious (KY), A Quinonez, 117, B J Koriner
4. Wittgenstein (IRE), M Garcia, 117, B Meehan
5. Somethingabouther (KY), M E Smith, 119, J M Cassidy
6. Speedinthruthecity (KY), J Talamo, 119, P Miller
7. Executiveprivilege (KY), R Bejarano, 123, B Baffert
8. Switch to the Lead (KY), Y Fukunaga, 119, P L Biancone
9. Bares Tripper (KY), G K Gomez, 117, P Miller
Landaluce winner Executiveprivilege takes on 8 in the Sorrento Stakes.
Benoit Photo