DEL MAR, Calif. – The season’s first Grade 1 for 2-year-old fillies in California lacks a clear standout, but the seven-furlong Del Mar Debutante on Saturday is otherwise loaded – with pedigree, speed, and field size. Fourteen entered the $300,000 Debutante, though six are maidens who could run in Sunday races. No matter. Debutante entrants who are winners showcase top bloodlines and tons of heat. Stakes winners Dreamfyre and Pushiness are pure gas. So is debut winner Julias Dream, whose 88 Beyer Speed Figure in a maiden turf sprint is the highest this year by a juvenile filly in California. Theoretically, the speed will cancel out and put well-bred debut winners Tamara and Chatalas in the right spot to pounce. Short on seasoning, both are positioned to achieve something their gifted dams did not. Tamara, sired by Bolt d’Oro and the likely Debutante favorite, was produced by a Hall of Fame mare. Beholder finished second by a nose in the 2012 Debutante and ended her career with 18 wins and earnings of more than $6.1 million. Richard Mandella trained Beholder, and he trains Tamara. If she wins the Debutante, she will be a step ahead of her dam at this stage of her career. :: DRF's 2023 Del Mar headquarters: Previews, past performances, picks, recaps, news, and more. Mandella said Tamara “is really sweet in the stall and to be around, but every now and then, I see a little bit of Beholder.” He was referring to attitude; he downplayed physical resemblance. The challenge for Tamara, who won first out despite a slow start from the rail, is to reproduce her 81-Beyer debut victory in the Debutante. Second out, “you never know which way they’re going to go,” Mandella said. “No reason she shouldn’t be just as good, or better. She didn’t lose an ounce out of the race.” Tamara is owned and bred by Spendthrift Farm and named for businesswoman Tamara Gustavson, daughter of late Spendthrift owner B. Wayne Hughes. Chatalas is by Gun Runner and produced by Indian Safari, impressive winner of her only start. Indian Safari won her 2014 debut at Santa Anita in 1:09.56 and never ran again. Mark Glatt trained Indian Safari, and he trains Chatalas. If she makes it to the gate for a second career start, she will be a step ahead of her one-career-start dam. Glatt and owner-breeder Dan Agnew hope for more than a mere appearance by Chatalas. They believe Chatalas is the real deal. “This filly is only going to be better as she goes further,” Glatt said. “She’s not slow, but she’s not fast-fast. That’s why she kind of grinded to get there going five and a half.” Tamara and Chatalas are top contenders in a deep Debutante field. Laurent won first out despite racing greenly and spotting her rivals 12 lengths. Benedetta, who removes blinkers, won her debut and finished second to Dreamfyre in the Grade 3 Sorrento. Hope Road, a Quality Road filly produced by Grade 1 winner Marley’s Freedom, finished second to Tamara in the maiden race. Others in the Debutante field include debut winner Cheeky Gal and maidens Next Right Thing, Pretty Layla, Where’s My Ring, Motet, and Gate to Paradise. Two front-runners are trained by Michael McCarthy – stakes-winning California-bred speedster Pushiness and high-figure entrant Julias Dream. Pushiness was nominated to the Generous Portion for statebred fillies on Sept. 4; Julias Dream nominated to the $125,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes on Saturday. Both entered the Debutante in an attempt to pad their pedigree page. “Wanted to try to get some Grade 1 black type,” McCarthy said, referring to Pushiness. “It’ll be a challenge, an extra three-sixteenths of a mile, Cal-bred facing open, a lot of new territory. If you weigh the options, it’s worth it if she runs 1-2-3.” Similar thinking applies to Julias Dream, a runaway debut winner on turf. Julias Dream confirmed ability in her only start, but on Saturday she drew the rail while switching surfaces. :: Get Del Mar Clocker Reports straight from the morning workouts at the track. Available every race day.  With O.J. Jauregui-trained two-time stakes winner Dreamfyre also in the field – she won both starts gate to wire – the pace is likely to be swift. That would be just fine for Laurent, who won her debut rallying from farther back than any sprint winner at the meet. Peter Eurton trains Laurent, whose debut looked grim when she was bumped at the break, tossed her head from the kickback, and trailed the field. Early in the race, Eurton merely hoped Laurent would “make a little run and look interesting. And she did a little more than that.” Laurent rallied wide and was up in the final stride. Edwin Maldonado replaces jockey Juan Hernandez, who will stick with Chatalas. Mike Smith rides likely favorite Tamara. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.