She's a Tiger Clears Field in Debutante

Trainer Jeff Bonde put the blinkers on and She’s a Tiger was as focused on the task at hand as could be. Coupled with a smart ride from jockey Gary Stevens, that all added up to an impressive win for She’s a Tiger in the Grade I Debutante Stakes on Saturday at Del Mar, and perhaps a clear path to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships Juvenile Fillies. The Debutante was She’s a Tiger’s first chance to stretch out to seven furlongs, and the long-striding two year old appears to want to go farther.

Wins duel with Awesome Baby and holds on 

Breaking sharply from the Del Mar gate alongside favorite Awesome Baby, She’s a Tiger settled just off that one for the run down the backstretch, and the pair quickly put five lengths between them and the field, getting the first quarter in 21.91. Turning for home, She’s a Tiger put Awesome Baby away on her inside, and kicked away when asked by Stevens, clearing the rest by more than two lengths. In the end she held on by a half-length over hard-charging Fascinating, with Concave another 1 ¾ lengths back.  It was her third win in four lifetime starts.

Fascinating looks good in maiden bow

It was also a nice run by the maiden Fascinating, who had to come four wide out of the turn but then ran down her rivals with seeming ease, perhaps just running out of track in the end. Awesome Baby showed lots of early speed as expected but simply could not match She’s a Tiger when it mattered most, ultimately finishing seventh in the eight horse field. As for She’s a Tiger, she’s likely headed to the Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita at the end of the month, where she’ll try two turns for the first time.