Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert is aiming for his ninth consecutive win in the Grade 2, $200,000 Starlet Stakes this Saturday at Los Alamitos, where he has three horses entered. The race, which covers 1 1/16 miles for 2-year-old fillies, will take place locally with a field of 12 horses. This marks the 8th race out of 9, with an approximate post time of 4 p.m., following years of the race previously held as the Hollywood Starlet at Hollywood Park from 1981 to 2013.
Baffert’s recent Starlet winners include Dream Tree (2017), Chasing Yesterday (2018), Bust (2019), Varda (2020), Eda (2021), Faiza (2022), and Nothing Like You (2023). Last year, his contenders were Himika, Nima, and Consequent.
Himika, owned by Charles and Susan Chu’s Baoma Corporation, is considered the standout in this year’s line-up. However, the filly finished second to Revera in the Nov. 16 Desi Arnaz Stakes despite being a heavy favorite. Himika, a daughter of Curlin and Into Mischief’s mare Motivated Seller, has won three of six races including the G3 Sorento and has earned $222,822. In her only previous Starlet distance attempt at the G2 Oak Leaf on October 4, she finished 5th out of 6.
A victory for Himika would mark Baoma Corporation’s fifth Starlet win and their second consecutive triumph in the event, having owned past winners Tenma, Bast, Varda, and Eda.
Nimmer, owned by Zedan Racing Stables, enters as the favorite based on her recent performance – she led from start to finish in a six-furlong race on November 23, securing her seventh win against ten losses. This $550,000 yearling, daughter of Gun Runner and AP Indy’s mare ET Indy, earned $36,000 by winning narrowly.
Consequent, an Into Mischief filly out of the Juddmonte-bred mare Cognitive by Uncle Mo, brings valuable two-turn race experience. Making her debut over a mile on November 14, she rallied from behind to win by a half-length and also earned $36,000.
Cosmic Heat, who took third in the Desi Arnaz, will be making her first attempt at the seven-furlong distance for Burns Racing LLC and William Haddock.
Another notable contender is Five Star Rampage, trained by Doug O’Neill, who currently handles Maxfield’s daughter. She has a record of 1 win in 12 starts, earning about $33,000, with her last major win coming as an 11-1 upset on October 17.
O’Neill also has entries with California mare Cashed, sired by I’ll Have Another, and Shackleford mare Cash Offer, owned by breeder J. Paul Reddam’s Reddam Racing LLC. Cashed will be racing for the first time since finishing second to Mohaven in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies on October 31. With one win in five starts, she has made $97,450 though mostly finishing third or worse.
Jules, owned by Michael McMillan and trained by Peter Miller, is coming off a close victory in a $32,000 maiden race over two turns.
Bourbon Gleam, a filly out of the Not Bourbon mare, held off Can’t Seizat by a nose after four previous attempts, earning $20,140. In that race, the two leading fillies were almost 11 lengths ahead of the rest.
An inside look at the Starlet Stakes field includes:
1. Himika, ridden by Tyler Baze, 120 lbs.
2. Cashed, ridden by Tiago Pereira, 120 lbs.
3. Consequent, ridden by Kazushi Kimura, 120 lbs.
4. Cosmic Heat, ridden by Armando Ayuso, 120 lbs.
5. Jules, ridden by Ricardo Gonzalez, 120 lbs.
6. Nima, ridden by Juan Hernandez.
Fan Take: This race is a thrilling showcase for emerging talent in the juvenile filly division, giving horse racing fans a glimpse of potential future stars. With Bob Baffert’s remarkable streak on the line and competitive horses from several top stables, the Starlet Stakes promises to be an exciting and pivotal event in the sport’s development.
