'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin) did not look like a winner through the first mile of Aqueduct's GII Demoiselle S., but turned things around late with a surprisingly strong rally to keep her perfect record in tact.
Away well from her rail draw, the 2-5 favorite settled in a ground-saving third as an eager Traffic Lane took control, clicking off a :23.69 first quarter with Juddmonte homebred Millefeuille (Curlin) pressing from second. Losing some traction as the half went in :48.50, the $1.05-million KEESEP buy was passed by Malibu Curl (Curlin) and looked like she was not taking to the muddy surface as another foe went by her on the backstretch. Splitting horses at the hope of the lane, Malathaat came alive in the lane, swallowing up ground late to nail Millefeuille just before the wire for a 3/4-length score. Malibu Curl completed a trifecta for leading sire Curlin.
A debut winner going seven panels at Belmont Oct. 9, Malathaat romped by 7 3/4 lengths next out in the one-mile Tempted S. at Aqueduct Nov. 6.
“In her first two wins, she was pretty straightforward and didn't get a lot of dirt in her face or anything like that,” conditioner Todd Pletcher said. “She was on-and-off the bridle and a little bit green, still, and there was a little bit of traffic, but in the end, she found more and showed the quality filly that she is. Some lesser quality horses might have thrown in the towel at some stage, but when she got rolling, she was impressive.”
He continued, “She wasn't comfortable inside. I think she was unsure of the footing early on. Sometimes drawing the rail is great and this time it seemed to have backfired on us a couple of times. In the final eighth of a mile, she was able to get into her comfort zone and rhythm and that's when she showed what she's all about.”
“Her class was what kept her going and got here there on time,” said Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez. “She was never comfortable and not running into a spot I wanted. She never really put that much effort into keeping a spot. Finally, when I tipped her out heading to the quarter-pole, she started running.”
Pedigree Notes:
Malathaat is the 35th graded winner for leading sire Curlin and one of 72 black-type scorers by the Hill 'n' Dale stalwart. She is also one of two graded winners at Aqueduct Saturday out of an A.P. Indy mare, following GIII Go For Wand H. heroine Sharp Starr. Malathaat is a daughter of Grade I winner and fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy), who was campaigned by Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stables with Pletcher and Velazquez. Out of dual Grade I victress Dream Rush (Wild Rush), Dream of Julia is a half-sister to 'TDN Rising Stars' Dream Pauline (Tapit), a two-time Grade III winner, and Atreides (Medaglia d'Oro), a stakes-winning young stallion. Malathaat is the third foal out of Dreaming of Julia, but the first to make the races. The 10-year-old mare has since produced a yearling colt by Medaglia d'Oro and a weanling Curlin filly. She was bred back to Medaglia d'Oro.
Saturday, Aqueduct
DEMOISELLE S.-GII, $150,000, Aqueduct, 12-5, 2yo, f, 1 1/8m, 1:52.36, sy.
1–MALATHAAT, 120, f, 2, by Curlin
1st Dam: Dreaming of Julia (GISW, $874,500), by A.P. Indy
2nd Dam: Dream Rush, by Wild Rush
3rd Dam: Turbo Dream, by Unbridled
'TDN Rising Star' 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($1,050,000 Ylg
'19 KEESEP). O-Shadwell Stable; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred
Holdings LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-John R. Velazquez.
$82,500. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $172,150.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus* Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Millefeuille, 118, f, 2, Curlin–Bandana, by War Front.
O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-William I. Mott. $30,000.
3–Malibu Curl, 118, f, 2, Curlin–Prospector's Moon, by Malibu
Moon. O/B-Woodslane Farm (KY); T-Thomas Albertrani.
$18,000.
Margins: 3/4, 4HF, 1. Odds: 0.45, 3.15, 8.00.
Also Ran: Cafe Society, Traffic Lane, Celestial Cheetah. Scratched: Caramocha, Dollar Mountain.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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