Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman’s Miss Monica (Early Voting – Lipstikliesnlovers, by American Pharoah) stamped herself a contender for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Keeneland in October when she captured the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Debutante at Del Mar Sept. 5, leading the slate of stakes-winning OBS graduates for the week.
(Benoit photo)
The dark bay or brown daughter of Early Voting assumed command and drew off for a 6 ¼ length victory for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.
“We had a great post and she was able to put herself into a good spot. (Jockey) J.J. Hernandez rode her with a lot of confidence,” Baffert told Del Mar publicity. “We know going seven-eighths is demanding but at the three-eighths pole you could tell she was cruising and she went to the lead on her own. She’s that good of a filly.”
Miss Monica was purchased by her owners for $850,000 at the 2026 OBS April Sale from the Hoppel consignment after breezing in :20 2/5.
OBS graduates also enjoyed international success this past week with Kentucky-bred Dragon Welds (Frosted-Little Dipper, by Eskendereya) prevailing in the Sept. 6 Korea Sprint (G3) sponsored by OBS at Seoul Racecourse. Trained by Hideaki Fujiwara, Dragon Welds earned a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Sprint as part of the “Win and You’re In” program.
Dragon Welds was purchased by T B Bloodstock at the 2024 OBS April Sale for $150,000 out of the Harris Training Center consignment after breezing in :9 4/5.
At Saratoga Sept. 5, Lawana and Robert Low’s Liam’s Law (Colonel Liam-Quickasakitten, by Kitten’s Joy) made every pole a winning one to make the grade in the Grade 3, $225,000 With Anticipation.
Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the son of Colonel Liam proved best over stablemate Bold Leadership in a compact field of three. He was a $120,000 purchase by his owners from the 2026 OBS March Sale out of the Ocala Stud consignment where he breezed in :21 2/5.
The Sep. 6 card at Saratoga saw Mashallah (Maxfield-All in With Aces, by Quiet American) put forth a much-the-best score in the Grade 3, $225,000 Prioress.
Trained by Brendan Walsh for JR Ranch, Mashallah entered from a frontrunning romp in the seven-furlong Tyson Gilpin on August 1 at Colonial Downs in her stakes debut. She was purchased by Marquee Bloodstock, agent for $1.25 million at the 2025 OBS March Sale from the de Meric Sales consignment after breezing in :9 4/5.
At Woodbine Sept. 5, Ironhorse Racing Stable and T-N-T Equine Holding’s Tomasello (Authentic – Dakota Queen, by War Front) came off the shelf and prevailed in gritty fashion to earn his first graded win in the $175,000 Singspiel Stakes (G3).
Racing for the first time since early July, Mark Casse-trained Tomasello scored by a determined half-length. Tomasello was purchased by Thomas and Mitchell Bloodstock for $125,000 at the 2024 OBS April Sale from the consignment of Golden Rock Thoroughbreds after breezing in :21 1/5.
At Gulfstream Park Sept. 5, K. Johnston Racing, Michael and Jules Iavarone and Hopeless Stables’ Sum of Success (Win Win Win- All Summed Up, by In Summation) kept his perfect record intact with a 5 ¼-length victory in the $150,000 FHBPA Express Tour Stakes.
Trained by Bobby Dibona, Sum of Success has notched his three wins by 24 ¼ combined lengths. He was purchased by Dibona for $165,000 at the 2026 OBS April Sale from the Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne) consignment after breezing in :10 flat.
The Sept. 5 card at Gulfstream also saw Averill Racing’s R Island Jewel (Awesome Slew—Hello Juliet, by Adios Charlie) emerge from a three-way battle up front with the lead to score a 6 ¼-length triumph in the $150,000 FHBPA Three Ring.
Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., R Island Jewel was purchased by her owner for $90,000 at the 2026 OBS March Sale after breezing in :21 2/5.
At Saratoga on Sept. 4, Velora (Yaupon—Scadadle, by Scat Daddy) remained undefeated with an impressive 2 1/4-length score in the $200,000 Seeking the Ante. Trained by Linda Rice for Winning Move Stable, Sabby Racing, IEE Racing, Sanford Robbins and Silverwood Stables, Velora was purchased by Kimmel/Sallusto, agent on behalf of her owners for $300,000 at the 2026 OBS April Sale from the Niall Brennan Stables consignment after breezing in :9 4/5.
At Del Mar on Sept. 6, Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman’s Desert Gate (Omaha Beach-Theogony, by Curlin) added another stakes win to his resume when he won the $125,000 Shared Belief Stakes by 5½ lengths for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. The son of Omaha Beach was purchased by his owners for $260,000 at the 2025 OBS March Sale from the Navas Equine consignment after breezing in :9 4/5.
On the same card at Del Mar, Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures’ Vanta (Greatest Honour—Goodn’ready, by More Than Ready) remained perfect with a 2 1/2-length victory in the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf Stakes for trainer Jeff Mullins.
Vanta was purchased by her owners for $370,000 at the 2026 OBS March Sale from the Golden Rock Thoroughbreds consignment after breezing in :9 4/5.
At Kentucky Downs Sept. 6, May Day Ready (Tapit-Nemoralia, by More Than Ready) prevailed in what became a match race after four entrants scratched, winning the $500,000 One Dreamer Stakes by 4 1/2 lengths over Miwa. Trained by Richard Mandella for owner KatieRich Stables, the graded stakes winning daughter of Tapit was purchased by her owners for $325,000 out of the de Meric Sales consignment at the 2024 OBS April Sale after breezing in :10 flat.
At Kentucky Downs on Sept. 7, Dahman’s Bottas (Vekoma- Iadorakid, by Lemon Drop Kid) won the $1.75 million Gun Runner Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths for trainer Miguel Clement, besting fellow OBS grad Conducted. The victory pushed the multiple graded stakes winning son of Vekoma past $1 million in career earnings.
Bottas was a $300,000 purchase by Case Clay Thoroughbred Management at the 2025 OBS April Sale from the consignment of Paul Sharp after breezing in :10 1/5.
The Labor Day card at Kentucky Downs also saw Citrus Springs (Olympiad—California Spirit, by Tale of the Cat) prevail in the $750,000 Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies Stakes in her stateside debut. Trained by Joseph O’Brien for owner Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Citrus Springs sold to Justin Casse/Carriganog for $300,000 at the 2026 OBS March Sale from the RiceHorse Stable consignment after breezing in :10 flat.
At Colonial Downs Sept. 7, Just a Touch (Justify—Touching Beauty, by Tapit) won the $150,000 Colonial Cup Stakes by a head for owners Qatar Racing LLC and Marc Detampel. Trained by Brad Cox, 5-year-old son of Justify was purchased by Fergus Galvin, agent for $300,000 at the 2023 OBS April Sale from the Scanlon Training & Sales consignment after breezing in :9 4/5.