IT was only a Grade 2 race for juvenile fillies but the Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita last weekend arguably threw up the best performance of the weekend when Princess Noor confirmed her stardom with an eight-length procession.

If her name seems familiar it could be you remember an Irish-bred filly of the same name who was trained by Roger Varian to win the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot in 2013.

That filly came up short at the highest level but her American namesake looks a certainty to win Grade 1s and she must be an early banker for Breeders’ Cup weekend.

A daughter of Not This Time (by Giant’s Causeway), Princess Noor is, of course, trained by Bob Baffert. She cost Saudi businessman Amr Zedan $1.35 million as a yearling and looks worth twice that figure now.

Sent off the 1/5 favourite last Saturday, Princess Noor impressed jockey Victor Espinoza so much last weekend that he is already comparing her to American Pharoah and says she’s the best filly he has ever ridden.

“The talent, the energy, the speed!” he said. “She dominated everyone with the energy she created during the race and I had a lot of confidence in her. She’s really kind, and she doesn’t need much. She does everything on her own, I’m just the pilot trying to find a way to have a little room to let her run and stretch her legs.

“She reminds me of other great horses I used to ride like American Pharoah and California Chrome. The talent is there, we just have to let them be happy around the racetrack. I’ve been riding amazing horses, but as a filly, she’s the best one I’ve ever ridden.”

Lucky Number

American Pharoah was honoured on the card by a Grade 1 race for juvenile colts and it produced a close finish with Get Her Number (by Dialed In) edging out Rombauer (Twirling Candy) by three parts of a length.

Winning trainer Peter Miller hinted afterwards that he rates stable companion Superman Shaq a bit higher than the winner but that horse had to miss this race after scoping badly.

The ante-post favourite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile remains Jackie’s Warrior, a son of Maclean’s Music (by Distorted Humor) trained by Steve Asmussen. He is due to run in the Champagne Stakes at Belmont next Saturday (October 10th).