Red Carpet Preview: Blame Debbie Invades Del Mar

DEL MAR, CA – Trainer Graham Motion sends his improving 3-year-old filly Blame Debbie west to invade Del Mar’s $100,000 Red Carpet Handicap (G3) on Thursday.

The Red Carpet is a 1 3/8-mile turf route open to fillies and mares ages 3 and up. This year’s edition is the sixth event on an 8-race card and has a local post time of 1:30 PM.

Here’s a look at the full field for the Red Carpet:

1. California Kook 5/1 – She drops to her lowest attempted level since July after finishing second in the Del Mar Oaks (G1), fourth in the Del Mar Derby (G2) against males, and fifth in the QEII Cup (G1) at Keeneland. The California-bred 3-year-old will attempt to stretch out her late-running style to the longest distance yet and attracted top east coast rider Joel Rosario.

2. Never Be Enough 4/1 – She won 3 of 4 starts over the Golden Gate synthetic surface to earn a second shot against the tougher local horses and proved best late in the Kathryn Crosby Stakes. Tiago Pereira, aboard for the first time that day, retains the mount for trainer Manuel Badilla, who repeats at a strong 31% rate with last-out winners.

3. Colonial Creed 12/1 – She finished third in the Swingtime Stakes at Santa Anita Park in October, then missed winning the Kathryn Crosby by 1 length last time out. It’s worth noting that the summer meet’s leading rider Flavien Prat likely chose her over others in the field; he and trainer Richard Baltas have a sharp 28% win rate together since 2019.

4. Orglandes 5/2 – The east coast-based Chad Brown, one of the nation’s top turf trainers, ships this French-bred filly west for her stakes debut after winning a 1 1/8-mile optional claiming event at Belmont Park last month. Coming along for the ride is last-out rider Irad Ortiz Jr., currently the leading North American jockey in terms of both wins and earnings. 

5. Going to Vegas 12/1 – She takes a second stab at the graded stakes level after missing by a neck in the Autumn Miss (G3) at Santa Anita Park last time out. The second entry from the Baltas barn was a shrewd $50k claim back in June, compiling a 4-0-2-1 record since then, but her lone off-the-board effort in that stretch was her only attempt beyond 1 mile.

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6. Woodfin 30/1 – She ships west for her Kentucky-based trainer Vicki Oliver while still in search of her second career victory. Though stationed in the Bluegrass State, this will be her fourth appearance over the local course; her best finish was a third against optional claimers in August 2019, but she only hit the board twice in her next 6 starts, all at similar levels.

7. Aunt Lubie 20/1 – She nearly earned her second career victory last time out, tracking in second throughout before missing by a head in a 1 1/8-mile optional claiming event at Santa Anita Park. Her form on paper might not inspire confidence, but trainer Richard Mandella has been hot this meet (15-7-2-4) and Triple Crown-winning jockey Victor Espinoza stays aboard.

8. Blame Debbie 3/1 – She went gate to wire in the Dowager Stakes (G3) last time out, holding on gamely in the stretch to defeat her older rivals while traveling 1 1/2 miles at Keeneland. She won an allowance race from well off the pace in her start prior, showing that she has the tactical speed to do what’s necessary, and jockey Manny Franco joins her for the trek.

9. Hollywood Girl 20/1 – The highest-priced runner in the field ($875k as a yearling) has struggled to string together consecutive starts, making only 6 starts heading into her stakes debut. Her only victory came on debut at Santa Anita Park while going 1 mile, but Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith stays on Santa Anita Derby (G1) champion Honor A. P.‘s older half-sister.

10. Quick 6/1 – She nearly earned her first stateside stakes score in August’s CTT and TOC, leading from the start until losing by a neck in the final jumps. A stakes winner while going 1 1/4 miles in her native Great Britain last year, she should have no trouble handling the distance and keeps the ultra-talented Umberto Rispoli aboard.

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