Champion My Miss Aurelia will return from a seven-month layoff Oct. 24 at Belmont Park in the $100,000 Punkin Pie overnight stakes, a seven-furlong race for fillies and mares that haven't won a stakes in 2013.
My Miss Aurelia, the 2011 champion juvenile filly, will be making her first start for trainer Todd Pletcher in the Punkin Pie. She has raced once in 2013, finishing third as the 4-5 choice in the Azeri Stakes (gr. III) March 16 at Oaklawn Park.
"We were just looking for somewhere for her to bring her back off a long layoff," Pletcher said. "We can see where she is in her training. She has indicated to us that she has trained very well and is ready to get started again. We're trying to get back on track and see where she is in terms of future races."
Pletcher said a strong performance Thursday could propel My Miss Aurelia to the $300,000 Go for Wand Handicap (gr. II) Nov. 29 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
John Velazquez has the mount on 4-year-old My Miss Aurelia, who drew the far outside post and will carry top weight of 123 pounds in a field of five. It is race 6 on the card with a 3:30 p.m. EDT scheduled post.
My Miss Aurelia, who races for her breeder, Stonestreet Stables, in partnership with George Bolton, began her career with trainer Steve Asmussen. She won her first six starts including grade I scores in the 2011 Frizette, 2011 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, and 2012 Cotillion.
She was second to Royal Delta a year ago in the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (gr. I) and was third in the La Brea (gr. I) in December, both at Santa Anita Park, in her two starts prior to the Azeri. Her career mark stands at 6-1-2 in nine races with earnings of $2,437,000.
