Two horses of note ran Sunday at Del Mar. One a potential star in the dawn of her career and the other a tough 7yo who has seen the highest peaks that racing has to offer, but now, a step slower, is competing among the rank and file for a tag.

The promising juvenile is the Bob Baffert trained Point Ashley. She broke her maiden in her second asking, dueling for the lead through quick fractions and then coasting away in the stretch without serious urging. What makes her standout to me is her pedigree. She is by Point Given out of the Slew o’Gold mare Golden Thatch. Point Given has ascended to the top of the progeny earnings list for second crop sires mainly because his runners, now mature 3yos, have finally started to hit form. Last year he produced few 2yos that could run (he only had three juvenile winners) and appears to be a sire that will get late developing offspring with the ability to cover a distance of ground (average winning distance of 7.7f thus far). None of this was a great surprise given his size (over 17 hands) and his ability around two turns (Preakness, Belmont, Haskell, Travers wins). Slew o’Gold, twice winner of the 12f Jockey Club Gold Cup, also adds potential stamina to Point Ashley’s pedigree.

Where does the precociousness and blazing speed come from? Point Ashley is a half-sister to sprinter Raw Gold, who won the Landaluce at two and a total of seven sprint stakes her career. She is an anomaly as well, being by Rahy (progeny average winning distance of 7.5f). Point Ashley’s third dam is Hurry Harriet (IRE), the winner of the Irish Champion Stakes (G1) and the best Paddy Mullins said he ever trained. Her first foal, Point Ashley’s 2^nd dam Free Port, was out of the accomplished European sprinter Thatch. 

Point Ashley gave an indication of her early maturity by running a blistering 10¹ at Keeneland’s April two year old in training sale. She was sold for $725,000, turning a quick profit on the $140,000 that was paid for her as a yearling. If she stays sound and learns to rate, she will be a major force in the division and in next year’s classics for fillies.

On the decline but still a fighter is Debonair Joe. He won an optional claiming sprint with a flying finish, somewhat reminiscent of his win four years ago in the Grade I Malibu. Debonair Joe has come full circle after starting his career for a $32,000 tag. He showed early promise, winning in his third start and following that up with a stakes win at Fairplex. He was competitive in other stakes race in his 2yo season but when he made his 3yo debut in August he was ready to be culled (serious soundness issues?). He finished near the back of the pack in his first three starts before being grabbed for $12,500 in September.  He proceeded to win four of his next five races including the Vernon O. Underwood at 52-1 and the Malibu at 26-1. He was ridden to victory in the Malibu by Julie Krone, who was on the comeback trail. With that win Krone became the first female jockey to capture a Grade I race in California. She ended up having a great winter at Santa Anita, but injuries forced her back into retirement. Debonair Joe sank into obscurity and had not won a race until Sunday’s victory.