Pretty N Cool stamps herself as a two-year-old to follow at Del Mar

Bet down to even-money favoritism off a strong work pattern, Pretty N Cool justified bettors' confidence with a 4 1/2-length debut victory at Del Mar on Sunday. The Bob Baffert pupil is nominated to the September 5 Del Mar Debutante (G1), a realistic target in the wake of this performance.

Pretty N Cool dashed to the lead right out of the gate, got away from pace rival Dreamy Art, and fluently extended her advantage down the lane. While it's fair to say that the slop may have suited her better than some of her rivals, her final time of :57.80 for five furlongs -- on a track that was playing slow -- is an indicator of her real merit.

Dreamy Art raced in second throughout. Imflatoutsweet, also a Del Mar Debutante nominee, deserves credit for rallying for third. The lesser fancied of the Jerry Hollendorfer pair at 18-1, Imflatoutsweet lined up next to stablemate C. C. Zipp, the 5-2 second choice. C. C. Zipp was very likely affected by the prevailing conditions. "Climbing early" according to the chart, she was last of nine before working her way into fifth. Yet another Del Mar Debutante nominee, C. C. Zipp is entitled to do much better on a typically fast Del Mar surface.

Pretty N Cool, a $160,000 Keeneland September yearling, was bred to be precocious. By Scat Daddy, she is the first foal from stakes-placed Stayclassysandiego (so she had to break her maiden at Del Mar, right?). Stayclassysandiego raced only at two, winning first time out at Hollywood and finishing third in the 2011 Landaluce. The mare is herself a Rockport Harbor half-sister to Grade 1-winning sprinter Sean Avery.