My Miss Aurelia remained undefeated when she sped away from the field for a game three-length victory in the $1,818,000 Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs (VIDEO).
The favorite at odds of 2-1,the daughter of Smart Strike raced in second throughout most of the race under jockey Corey Nakatani, with Candrea setting early fractions of :23.20 and :47.19. My Miss Aurelia made her move rounding the final turn, passing Candrea on the outside for the lead as she completed six furlongs in 1:13.08.
My Miss Aurelia, named for co-owner George Bolton’s mother, led Grace Hall by 2 1/2 lengths at mid-stretch and widened her advantage to the wire under steady right-handed pressure from Nakatani.
“She broke really well," Nakatani said. "My main concern was getting her in a good spot so I had options to go outside or inside or to the lead. Actually, she put herself in just the right spot."
Grace Hall and Weemissfrankie, the second and third choices in the field of 14 2-year-old fillies, finished in that order behind My Miss Aurelia, who completed the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:46. Grace Hall, at 3-1, was six lengths in front of 5-1 Wemissfrankie, who secured the show position by 1 ½ lengths.
My Miss Aurelia is a Kentucky homebred campaigned Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables in partnership with Bolton, who bought into the filly as a yearling. Steve Asmussen trains the bay.
“She’s extremely special," Asmussen said. "How proud we are that she’s a homebred (for Stonestreet Stables), and that George (Bolton) bought into her as a yearling. She’s been everybody’s pick at every stage, and she came through today with a great race.”
Out of the Sea of Secret mare My Miss Storm Cat, My Miss Aurelia broke her maiden at first asking in July at Saratoga and followed up that effort with victories in the Adirondack (gr. II) at Saratoga and the Frizette (gr. I) at Belmont Park by an impressive 5 1/2 lengths.
In the Juvenile Fillies, My Miss Aurelia paid $6.20, $4, and $3. Grace Hall paid $4.60 and $3.20, and Weemissfrankie returned $3.60 to show.
My Miss Aurelia earned $1,080,00 for the victory and has now banked $1,380,000 in her brief career.