Varda rallied from last at the top of the stretch to win Saturday’s $300,000 Starlet S. (G1) at Los Alamitos Racetrack by 1 1/2-lengths, the first graded stakes win for the 2-year-old filly trained by Bob Baffert for the Baoma Corp.
The bay daughter of Distorted Humor is the 20th lifetime Grade 1 winner for her sire, as well as the 153rd black type winner, which is the most for any active sire in North America.
Varda, who had finished second to Princess Noor in the Chandelier S. (G2) in late September, had a very wide trip on Saturday. She was last of five around both turns while staying well out into the center of the track. Princess Noor took the lead from from Kalypso as the field entered the stretch, but then bolted to the outside fence and was pulled up. Kalypso inherited the lead and looked like the winner momentarily, but Varda rolled past in deep stretch to stop the timer in 1:44.53 for the 1 1/16-miles on the fast main track.
Varda “is a filly that’s been training really, doing really well, and we knew distance was her friend. (Kaylpso) ran a good race. She was out there, going pretty fast,” said Baffert, who also trains the runner-up.
Varda, who sold to her owner for $700,000 at this year’s OBS April sale, has now won two of three starts and has earned $254,500.
The Starlet awarded Varda 10 points toward the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1).
Bred in New York by Masters 2013 and Distorted Humor Syndicate, Varda is one of five winners out of She’ll Be Right. She’ll Be Right has also produced the stakes-placed Big Family and Getouttamyway.
