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 Oct. 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 Nov. 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 Sept. 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 Oct. 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 Oct. 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 Nov. 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.
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