The Sorrento is a 6 ½-furlong main track dash for juvenile fillies and is the traditional prep for the Del Mar Debutante (gr. I) at the end of the meeting.
Cees Stable's Tizbud, a full brother to 2000 Horse of the Year Tiznow, worked three furlongs in :38 over Del Mar's fast main track on Monday in what was his first work in six months. The John Sadler-trained colt hasn't raced since a third-place finish in the San Fernando Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II) at Santa Anita on Jan 11. He spent several weeks resting on a farm and returned to Sadler's care about two months ago. "He had some shin trouble," Sadler said. "He's doing very well now, though. We're looking to Oak Tree with him and the Cal Cup is the goal." Tizbud is by Cee's Tizzy, out of the Seattle Song mare Cee's Song, also making him a full brother to millionaire Budroyale and the promising juvenile filly Tizdubai. The California-bred 4-year-old has won one of four career starts with two thirds for earnings of $66,326. Sadler also reported that San Diego Handicap (Gr. II) hero Taste of Paradise came out of his first career stakes victory in good order and will likely skip the Pacific Classic (gr. I) in favor of running in the Del Mar Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II), a one-mile dirt event for 3-year-olds and up set for Sept. 1. Shortly after Tizbud finished his three-furlong breeze, little sister Tizdubai was put through her final drill for her added-money debut in Saturday's Sorrento Stakes (gr. II), logging five furlongs in :59 3/5. The dark brown filly won her debut at Hollywood Park on July 6 by 1 ½ lengths, slightly injuring her hoof in the process. It was later discovered that the injury wasn't serious and she's trained forwardly for her stakes debut since, according to Alex Hassinger, trainer Eoin Harty's assistant. Fellow Sorrento hopeful Dirty Diana, last seen setting the stakes record when she won the5 ½-furlong CTBA Stakes for Cal-bred fillies on July 25 by 8 ½ lengths, went five furlongs in 1:00 1/5. The chestnut daughter of Flying Continental has earned $103,397 from a record of two victories in three lifetime starts. She is owned by Watson and Weitzman Performances LLC and trained by Bob Baffert.