Gamine, last year's champion female sprinter, began 2021 with a thoroughly convincing win in Sunday's Las Flores S. (G3), defeating stablemate Qahira by five lengths while under a hand ride the entire trip.

Though she was unhurried from her inside post, Gamine nevertheless made the lead and guided the field around for the rest of the six-furlong trip. Qahira moved into second in upper stretch, but was no threat to the winner, who was eased under the wire by John Velazaquez to finish the distance in 1:09.52.

“She looked fantastic, they both looked fantastic in the paddock and the only thing I was worried about was bad luck,” Baffert said of his 1-2 finishers. “I told [Johnny] before, 'With the one hole make sure you don't let her make the gap. Ride her like she's 10-1.' I'm happy for my owners and everybody involved. They are excited, it's Easter Sunday, so it's a big win. For her to start off here, I'm glad I got to run her. There's a lot of people who came out to watch her run.” 

Gamine is now a four-time graded stakes winner of $943,000. The 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief is owned by Michael Lund Petersen.

Baffert, who has won five editions of the Las Flores, said Gamine would run next on May 1 at Churchill Downs in the $500,000 Derby City Distaff (G1) on the Kentucky Derby (G1) undercard.