How to bet the 2022 Del Mar Debutante Stakes

An octet of two-year-old fillies will travel seven panels on the dirt in Saturday’s $300,000 Del Mar Debutante S. (G1). Conditioner Bob Baffert has saddled the winner of the race a record 10 times, including the last three vixens of the dash, and he has a fine duo entered for the affair this season, as well.

#5 Fast and Shiny (8-1) was pretty professional in her debut tally on the surface and gets top billing with Juan Hernandez in the silks. By Bernardini, the $150,000 yearling purchase broke best at first asking, tracked a healthy pace from third, and then took over late while topping a nice prospect and traveling five panels in that Aug. 7 heat.

The Kentucky-bred bay was not heavily backed in that dash, which is interesting, but she impressed me in that debut and has also come back with a nice trio of morning drills in the interim. The February foal has worked from the gate in her past two moves, so it’s very possible that she will improve and show more early speed on Saturday.

Baffert’s #6 Home Cooking (9-5) has been sent off at 1-2 odds in both career attempts to date and looked good in a stylish maiden victory on the oval in her latest endeavor. Purchased for $260,000 in the spring, the daughter of underrated sire Honor Code is bred to improve with distance and experience, and the move to seven-eighths should suit the filly well in her stakes bow. The bay shows two very good works in advance of Saturday and will always be in striking range with Mike Smith retaining the mount.

#2 Kissed By Fire (8-1) was run down late at first asking but has a high ceiling, in my opinion, for conditioner Peter Eurton. The $350,000 daughter of Friesan Fire did everything right but come out on top at first asking while finishing ahead of Home Cooking, and an expected forward move in her second lifetime run will make her a contender at a fair price. The Maryland-bred miss runs for a trainer who is better second time out overall, and she might be the value of the affair with Joe Bravo riding once again.

Del Mar Debutante Wagers

• $15 win and place: #5 Fast and Shiny ($30)
• $.20-cent superfecta: 5,6 with 2,5,6 with all with all ($24)