Both Darley Debutante winner
Tell a Kelly and runner-up Wickedly Perfect were reported in good order this
morning following the Grade I race Saturday that locked up the Del Mar juvenile
filly crown for the John Sadler-trained 2-year-old.
The next start for both
appears to be the Grade I Oak Leaf Stakes Sunday, October 3 at the Oak Tree
meeting at Hollywood Park. In that one, they'll stretch out to 1 1/16 miles for
the first time in an effort to get ready for the Grade I, $2-million Breeders'
Cup Juvenile Fillies at the same distance on November 5 at Churchill Downs.
A speed duel between the
favored Wickedly Perfect, trained by Doug O'Neill, and longshot Gone Rebel may
have compromised the favorite's ability to kick on in the Del Mar stretch as
Tell a Kelly went whizzing past to win by a widening 4 1/2 lengths.
It marked the second time in
three years that a daughter of Tapit has won the Debutante. Stardom Bound
turned the trick in 2008, and went on to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile
Fillies, becoming the third Debutante winner to capture the Juvenile Fillies
since 2003. The others were Halfbridled in 2003 and Sweet Catomine in 2004.
Overall, the Debutante has
been a good measuring stick for the B.C. Juvenile Fillies. In 1986, Debutante
victress Brave Raj was the first winner coming from the Del Mar race. Debutante
winners who have finished second in the Juvenile Fillies include La Spia in
1991; Sardula, who defeated Phone Chatter in the Debutante, finished second to
her in the 1993 Juvenile Fillies giving the Debutante a one-two punch;
Excellent Meeting in 1998, Chilukki in 1999 and Wild Fit in 2005.