Creative Instinct catches some breaks

DEL MAR, Calif. – Creative Instinct roared out of the gate in a maiden race for Californiabred 2-year-old fillies on Aug. 1 at Del Mar and led throughout, much to the delight of jockey Tyler Baze.

“The speed she showed surprised me,” Baze recalled last weekend. “I worked her out of the gate, and she wasn’t that fast. She shot out of there like a rocket.”

The win gave owner Gary Barber and trainer Peter Miller the incentive to enter Creative Instinct in Wednesday’s $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes for Californiabred 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs.

A change to the conditions of the Generous Portion favors Creative Instinct. The race is restricted this year to statebred fillies who have not won a firstplace purse of $50,000, eliminating CTBA Stakes winner Naughty Tiger from eligibility.

The Generous Portion Stakes also is missing Accomplishedsister and Lippy, who were second and third in the CTBA Stakes, but have been taken out of training.

The race drew a field of seven, four of which have run in maiden claimers. Mucho Unusual will have her career debut in the Generous Portion.

Wednesday’s card starts the final week of the Del Mar summer meeting, which runs through Monday. Los Alamitos begins the Los Angeles County Fair meeting Sept. 6.

KEY CONTENDERS

Creative Instinct, by Creative Cause Beyer: 59

◗ Creative Instinct won her debut by 3 3/4 lengths from the rail in a field of seven. In the Generous Portion, Creative Instinct drew the outside post and once again should dispute the pace.

“It’s a good post,” Baze said. “If she repeats that race, she should be tough.”

◗ Creative Instinct was purchased for $285,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s auction of 2-year-olds in training in March.

Give Me a Hint, by Merit Man Beyer: 61

◗ In her only start, Give Me a Hint won a $50,000 claimer for California-bred maidens by an eye-catching 9 1/4 lengths going 5 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 12. Give Me a Hint was second in the opening three furlongs before quickly taking the lead.

◗ Trained by Bob Hess Jr., Give Me Hint has the fastest turnaround of the fillies in the Generous Portion.

“We’re coming back pretty quick and it’s a pretty good jump in class,” Hess said. “I think the ability is there. With a filly, anything less than a month is not ideal.”

Dichotomy, by Square Eddie Beyers: 44-61-52

◗ After finishing second June 28 at Los Alamitos in her debut, Dichotomy closed from fourth to win a maiden race for California-bred fillies at five furlongs by 2 3/4 lengths on July 18. Dichotomy finished eighth in the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes earlier this month, 22 1/4 lengths behind winner Bellafina, a leading candidate for Saturday’s Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante.

◗ Dichotomy will be fitted with blinkers for the first time in the Generous Portion.