AQUEDUCT: GRADE II DEMOSIELLE, G3 GO FOR WAND PREVIEW

Posted On 04 Dec 2020

NYRA PRESS OFFICE —-

Malathaat streaks into G2 Demoiselle

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Shadwell Stable’s Malathaat, undefeated in two starts for trainer Todd Pletcher, will look to make the grade in Saturday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Demoiselle, a nine-furlong test for juvenile fillies on the main track at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Demoiselle, which offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-four finishers, is part of a lucrative card headlined by the 32nd renewal of the Grade 1, $250,000 Cigar Mile for 3-year-olds and up and also includes the Grade 2, $150,000 Remsen at nine furlongs for juveniles and the Grade 3, $100,000 Go for Wand Handicap for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at one mile on the main track.

Live coverage of Cigar Mile Day will be available with America’s Day at the Races on FS2 from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Eastern and on MSG+ from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Free Equibase-provided past performances will be available for races that are part of the America’s Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

By Curlin and out of the Pletcher-trained Dreaming of Julia, who captured the 2012 Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont Park, Malathaat boasts a golden pedigree that saw the filly purchased for $1.05 million at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

The precocious bay, bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, drew off to a 1 3/4-length score when sprinting seven furlongs in her October 9 debut at Belmont Park and followed last out with a 7 3/4-length win in the Tempted at one-mile on the Big A main track.

Pletcher said the added distance on Saturday shouldn’t hamper Malathaat.

“You would think with her pedigree and the way she won going a mile that a stretch out should not be an issue,” said Pletcher. “She’s always trained like a quality filly that wants two turns, so we’re excited about stretching her out. This filly has been a star from day one basically.”

Hall of Famer John Velazquez, aboard for the debut score which secured the rider his 2,000th win at Belmont, has the call from the inside post.

Pletcher will also send out Repole Stable’s Traffic Lane, who graduated last out in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on November 15 on the Big A turf. Kendrick Carmouche will guide the Outwork filly from post 2.

Juddmonte Farms’ homebred Millefeuille, by Curlin and out of the War Front mare Bandana, just missed at first asking, running second on September 26 in a one-turn mile at Belmont. The second time out worked a treat for the talented bay, when she posted a four-length win at the same distance on October 23 on Big Sandy.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said nine furlongs will suit his improving filly.

“She’s doing good. It seems like a good distance for her,” said Mott.

The Kentucky-bred is a direct descendant of prolific Juddmonte broodmare Toussaud, who produced 2003 Belmont Stakes winner and champion producing stallion Empire Maker, as well as Grade 1 winners Chester House, Chiselling and Honest Lady, who is the granddam of Millefeuille.

Joel Rosario retains the mount from post 3.

Allen Stable’s Cafe Society, an Ontario-bred daughter of Empire Maker, was purchased for $475,000 at the OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. She won by 3 1/2-lengths in her October 18 debut when sprinting six furlongs at Belmont for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey.

Last out, Cafe Society chased the pace in the Tempted en route to a third-place effort, 10 1/4-lengths in arrears of Malathaat.

Cafe Society worked a half-mile in 49.03 seconds Sunday on the Belmont main track. McGaughey said he is expecting an improved effort.

“I was disappointed in her last race, but she’s come back and trained well,” said McGaughey. “She had a really good breeze and galloped out well, so hopefully we’ll see a little better performance than we did the last time. I couldn’t have asked for any more.”

Jose Ortiz, aboard for the debut win, will guide Cafe Society from post 6.

Richard Greeley’s Caramocha, bred in New York by Chester and Mary Broman, graduated by 4 1/4-lengths on debut in a six-furlong sprint against fellow state-breds on November 7 at the Big A when sent to post at odds of 99-1.

Trained by Mitchell Friedman, Caramocha was a $100,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. Her second dam, Indy Glory, produced the multiple Grade 1-winning New York-bred Artemis Agrotera.

Caramocha will make her stakes debut from post 7 under Dylan Davis.

Rounding out the field are Woodslane Farm’s Malibu Curl [post 4, Junior Alvarado], Brereton C. Jones homebred Dollar Mountain [post 5, Jose Lezcano] and Designated Hitters Racing’s Celestial Cheetah [post 8, Manny Franco].

The Demoiselle is slated as Race 9 on Saturday’s 10-race card, which will feature a mandatory payout of the Empire 6. First post is 11:30 a.m. Eastern.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the 18-day fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

Nonna Madeline turns back in distance in G3 Go for Wand

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Teresa Viola Racing Stables and St. Elias Stable’s Nonna Madeline cuts back to one mile for Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Go for Wand Handicap for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Go for Wand is part of a lucrative card headlined by the 32nd renewal of the Grade 1, $250,000 Cigar Mile for 3-year-olds and up and also includes a pair of Grade 2, $150,000 events for juveniles at nine furlongs on the main track in the Remsen and its filly counterpart, the Demoiselle.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Nonna Madeline boasts a consistent record of 13-4-3-2 with purse earnings of $275,128. The 4-year-old Candy Ride bay, bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, broke through in stakes company this summer when capturing the restricted Summer Colony at nine furlongs on the Saratoga Race Course main track.

Following an off-the-board effort in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Shuvee on August 30 at the Spa, Nonna Madeline made amends with a nose score over Royal Flag in the 1 1/16-mile Lady’s Secret on October 7 at Monmouth Park.

She enters from a prominent third in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm, won by familiar foe Royal Flag on November 7 at the Big A.

“She shows up every time and runs hard every time, so I wouldn’t expect her to do any different this time,” said Pletcher. “It will be interesting backing her up from a mile and an eighth to a mile. She should appreciate that as well.”

Pletcher will also saddle Whisper Hill Farm homebred Graceful Princess, a 4-year-old Tapit bay who ran fifth last out in the Turnback the Alarm.

Hall of Famer John Velazquez will guide Nonna Madeline from the inside post, while Joel Rosario has the call on Graceful Princess from the outside post 6.

Sharp Starr, bred in New York by the Stonewall Farm of owner Barry Schwartz, earned a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure last out with a 15 3/4-length romp in a one-mile state-bred allowance tilt on November 7 at the Big A.

Trained by Horacio DePaz, the 3-year-old Munnings dark bay graduated in July at fourth asking in a one-turn mile against state-bred maidens at Belmont in her second start back off a layoff caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“She was entered the Friday that racing was cancelled back in March and she was the favorite that day,” said DePaz. “We had that little break with no racing and when we brought her back, she just needed to run. We ran her three-quarters first time back and we knew that probably wouldn’t be to her liking but she would benefit from the experience. It ended up working out when we stretched her out to a mile and she won pretty convincingly.”

Sharp Starr tried a pair of nine-furlong events at Saratoga over the summer, finishing third in a state-bred allowance in July ahead of a closing third in the restricted Fleet Indian in September. Despite a troubled start in the Fleet Indian, Sharp Starr closed within one length of winner Makingcents and runner-up Ice Princess, who exited that effort to run second in the Grade 3 Comely on Friday for trainer Danny Gargan.

“It was an unfortunate start,” said DePaz of the Fleet Indian. “At the beginning of that race, horses were all over the place. But it’s also been a productive race. Danny Gargan’s filly came back last weekend and she ran an honest effort and ended up hitting the board.

“She made up ground in both her races at Saratoga,” added DePaz. “Even in the allowance race, that track was playing very speed favoring and she was the only horse that made up ground during the day.”

Following an off-the-board effort in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan on October 3 at Pimlico Race Course, DePaz said Sharp Starr appreciated the cutback in distance last out.

“After the Black-Eyed Susan, I thought maybe I wasn’t reading the filly right but she came back with a very honest effort back at Aqueduct,” said DePaz. “I thought maybe we could redeem ourselves and maybe she really takes to the one turn.”

The 35-year-old DePaz, in search of his first graded stakes win, said a big effort from Sharp Starr on Saturday would be very meaningful.

“It would be great and I’d be very happy for Barry,” said DePaz. “We’ve had her since she was a 2-year-old and got her started. I’ve tried to manage and maintain her. It would be really exciting considering how tough this year has been for everybody and also because it’s my first year coming full time to New York.”

Jose Ortiz, aboard for the maiden win and Fleet Indian efforts, has the call from post 3.

Rounding out the field are Ten Strike Racing’s Portal Creek, an eight-time winner making her stakes debut for trainer Juan C. Guerrero [post 2, Kendrick Carmouche]; Dark Horse Racing Stable’s Overheated [post 4, Dylan Davis]; and Michael Dubb, Coyle Boys Stable, St. Elias Stable and Bethlehem Stables’ Stand for the Flag [post 5, Manny Franco].

The Go for Wand is slated as Race 6 on Saturday’s 10-race card. which will feature a mandatory payout of the Empire 6. First post is 11:30 a.m. Eastern.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the 18-day fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.