DEL MAR, CA – Erich Brehm homebred My Girl Red backed up her impressive maiden-breaking debut with an even stronger effort to trounce the field in Friday’s $150,000 Sorrento Stakes (G2) at Del Mar.
My Girl Red was the 4/5 favorite as she broke from post 4 under Flavien Prat. Scaterra, one of three entries from trainer/co-owner James Chapman, applied outside pressure down the backstretch while My Girl Red posted opening fractions of :22.17 and :45.88.
As Scaterra gave way entering the far turn, her stablemate September Secret made her bid midway through, but she was unable to sustain it as she straightened for home. While everyone else fell apart in the stretch, My Girl Red drew off in hand.
Geared down inside the 1/16 pole, the Keith Desormeaux trainee crossed 4 3/4 lengths the best in a final time of 1:12.12 for the 6-furlong sprint over the fast dirt.
“I didn’t have any special instructions; just ride her with confidence,” said Prat, who also won the 2018 edition aboard Bellafina. “She showed speed away from there, then we got a nice breather on the turn. From there, she just went on and won in hand.”
The debuting runner Get On the Bus saved ground through the turn and outkicked everyone in the stretch to take second by 5 lengths over Exchange Vows. Behind them came the Champam triumvirate of Scat’s Choice, September Secret, and Scaterra to complete the order of finish.
Trip to Seoul was scratched.
My Girl Red’s win kept her perfect through 2 starts and increased the Texas Red juvenile filly’s earnings to $120,000. Desormeaux trained and Brehm co-owned Texas Red, who won 2014 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and the 2015 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2).
“Flavien was telling me how she was looking around and kind of lost interest the last 1/8 (of a mile),” Desormeaux said. “What was nice to me was that she was doing that the first 1/4 (of a mile). I know it’s still early and the time is average, but I think she can go even quicker and I sure don’t want to complain. She has always shown signs of class and it’s nice to see one duplicate in the afternoon what we see in the mornings.”
My Girl Red returned $3.80 to win, $2.40 to place, and $2.20 to show. Get On the Bus brought back $3.20 to place and $3 to show, while Exchange Vows paid $5 to show.
