2022 Starlet Stakes Cheatsheet

By TwinSpires Editorial Team, Sponsored Content

By James Scully (TwinSpires.com)

1. Doinitthehardway (7-2) – Well-supported in all three starts, Doinitthehardway hasn’t found the winner’s circle yet, recording a pair of seconds and a third, but the $240,000 daughter of Street Sense still has upside for Bob Baffert. An inability to break cost her in the first two outings, but the dark bay filly handled the gate better when stretching out to two turns last time, contesting the pace before winding up a fine second to an odds-on winner. Doinitthehardway figures to show speed from her rail post Saturday, and she’s a wire-to-wire candidate if the favorite falters.

2. Classymademoiselle (30-1) – Not much of a factor in her first four starts, Classymademoiselle broke her maiden via disqualification when finishing a nose second in an off-the-turf maiden special weight in mid-September. She failed to show much on turf last time, finishing last versus entry-level allowance foes, and Classymademoiselle probably needs softer competition to be effective on the main track.

3. Faiza (7-5) – The word was out when Faiza made her career debut at Del Mar on Nov. 12. Bet down to 4-5, she overcame a tardy start to make short work of her rivals at six furlongs, drawing off to a 3 1/2-length decision, and netted a respectable 89 Brisnet Speed rating. Bob Baffert said he wanted to run Faiza at a longer distance, but couldn’t get a race to fill, and the $725,000 daughter of freshman sire Girvin will stretch out to 1 1/16 miles in the Starlet. Given the buzz surrounding her, Faiza is eligible to be bet down to odds-on again, and we’ll find out whether the hype is real surrounding the exciting bay filly.

4. Fast and Shiny (15-1) – Overlooked at 6.40-1 in her career debut, Fast and Shiny rolled to a 1 1/2-length win over stablemate Doinitthehardway, but the Bob Baffert-trained filly was no factor when trying stakes rivals next out in the Del Mar Debutante (G1), checking in a well-beaten fifth. She was redirected to turf without success, recording unplaced finishes in her last two outings, and Fast and Shiny will switch back to main track on Saturday. She’ll need to run faster to challenge for a minor award.

5. Uncontrollable (4-1) – Her first two outings sprinting versus California-bred rivals were nothing special, recording a debut maiden tally and a runner-up in the Generous Portion S., but Uncontrollable caught the eye when stretching to two turns against open rivals in the Oct. 6 Chandelier (G2) at Santa Anita, rallying to miss by less than a length in second to And Tell Me Nolies. Her Brisnet Speed rating (88) increased significantly, and the $130,000 Upstart filly appears to be training forwardly for her return from a two-month freshening, recording a recent five-furlong bullet work. Uncontrollable will be running late for trainer Michael McCarthy.

6. Pride of the Nile (9-2) – Enters the Starlet on the upswing for her connections, recording back-to-back wins over maiden special weight and entry-level allowance foes on turf, and Pride of the Nile will make her first dirt start Saturday. By Pioneerof the Nile and out of a multiple Grade 3-placed mare on dirt, the $140,000 bay juvenile filly is bred for the main track, and Pride of the Nile will retain the services of Juan Hernandez, who was also up on Uncontrollable last time. She’s been drilling fast works on Del Mar’s main track in preparation, and Pride of the Nile rates as an intriguing contender if she makes a seamless switch in surfaces.

7. Blessed Touch (5-1) – Registered a field-best 98 Brisnet Speed rating when graduating by an 8 3/4-length margin at second asking in early October, and Blessed Touch exits a commendable runner-up effort in her first stakes attempt, the seven-furlong Desi Arnaz on Nov. 19. She made a big run from just off the pace to challenge for the lead in midstretch, and while she ultimately proved no match for Justique, who is arguably the most impressive two-year-old filly performer in Southern California in 2022, Blessed Touch wound up more than six lengths clear of third. A $140,000 daughter of Girvin, Blessed Touch will stretch to two turns off the encouraging performance, and the promising Tim Yakteen trainee rates as the main threat to Faiza.