Unlimited Budget went straight to the lead and stayed there in the $237,500 Demoiselle Stakes (gr. II) Nov. 24 at Aqueduct Racetrack, remaining unbeaten with her first stakes score for Repole Stable and trainer Todd Pletcher (VIDEO) .
A 9 1/2-length winner of her one-mile debut at Aqueduct Nov. 9, the 2-year-old daughter of Street Sense won this time by a narrower margin, taking the 1 1/8 mile test by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:52.16. She was much the best in a field narrowed down to four after Miss Patricia, Ruby Lips, and Coconut Shrimp scratched.
"You're always concerned running back a little quick, but she seemed to bounce out of the race pretty well, physically and mentally," Pletcher remarked. "She did everything right, never seemed to turn a hair, and came back with a really good work the other day. We felt it was a calculated risk. For only her second start, it was a big effort... very classy filly."
With Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez rationing out her early speed, Unlimited Budget rolled along uncontested through opening fractions of :24.36 and :48.73 about one length ahead of Giant Cats Eye. Emollient, taken back slightly at the start by jockey Junior Alvarado, raced rankly on the inside for the quarter and moved up the rail to contest the leader at the half-mile pole. She only got within a neck before the eventual winner again edged away again to a 1 1/2-length advantage exiting the backside.
Unlimited Budget returned $4.10 and $2.10 while Emollient paid $2.20. There was no show wagering. Giant Cats Eye and Flash Forward completed the order of finish.
"(The quick turnaround) was the biggest risk, how is she going to react?" Repole said. "Todd worked her last week. She worked with Violence and worked really, really well. She ran a mile, and there are no other 2-year-old or 3-year-old stakes going a distance until February. We'll take her down to Florida and won't race her until February, give her all the time she needs, and get her ready for a nice 3-year-old campaign."