What we do have is her breeding, and it tells an interesting story. Her father, Starspangledbanner, was a brilliantly fast racehorse in his day — a sprinter who won at the highest level in Europe — and he has passed that speed-first profile on to many of his offspring. Her mother's side brings in Ruler Of The World, a Classic winner at a mile and a quarter, which adds a touch more stamina to the mix. Whether Senorita Bonita takes after the sharp, quick side of her family or the more patient, staying side is one of the things today's race should start to answer.
The team behind her carries real confidence into this season. The Crisford yard, run by the father-and-son partnership of Simon and Ed Crisford out of Newmarket — the historic home of British flat racing — has already sent out 79 winners this season alone. That is a formidable number, and it tells you this is not a yard that puts horses on a racecourse before they are ready. When a stable operating at that level bothers to run a first-time-out two-year-old, it is usually because they have seen enough at home to think the horse deserves a chance to show what she can do.