The Demoiselle (Grade 2) (KYO)- $250.000 Purse
AQU- For Fillies Two Years Old
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
December 7, 2024

It’s back to the winner’s circle in The Demoiselle for D J C Racing Stables, as the trainer wins the race for the second year in a row as well as for the third time in five years. Getting the job done for him was Lucille, a filly who wins her third big stake in four tries. It’s a little surprising that she went off as a 13/1 longshot, although some of the was probably from her moving from the turf to the dirt. Congratulations to the D J C Racing Stables on this third Demoiselle, as well as to jockey J R Velazquez. The jockey would win both the Remsen and the Demoiselle and finished off his day running second in the Cigar Mile. He’s now a five-time winner of this stake, so congrats go out to him as well. The time of the win was 1:48.76, which is a middle of the road such time for the race. Let’s take a look at it now:

(½ Mile- :47.40)- Out of the starting gate, two fillies will battle it out side by side down the front stretch and around the opening turn. After a half mile, it would probably be considered a dead heat between them if it was at the finish. Us Against The World will take the rail here for Mb Stables while her shadow is Melting Shadows, from Jokerjoes. The eventual winner, Lucille, sits right behind them in a comfortable stalking position for D J C Racing Stables. A length behind her, we have a group of three, with Alydar Stables’ Luminous Gold having the edge for fourth while on the outside. Anybodys Authority (Nakamura Stables) and Stefania (TwinTowersRacing) are to her inside. It’s a length and a half then to Mazula School (Rock Creek) while Zero Out (Sccj Stables) trails.

(3/4 Mile- 1:11.65)- Not a whole lot has changed down the backstretch and early into the turn. Melting Shadows and Us Against The World are still out front, but Melting Shadows is starting to win this battle a bit by being a half-length ahead. J R Velazquez wisely moves Lucille directly behind Multiple Shadows to position her for the run to come. There’s a gap of about two lengths to Luminous Gold and Anybodys Authority still, but Stefania is having a hard time keeping up with them. Mazula School is about to go by her. Zero Out still has not shown much.

(Top of Stretch, 1.7F To Go)- As we move into the stretch, Multiple Shadows has a clear lead and will hope to hang on. Running evenly for second now are Us Against The World and Lucille. For Lucille, she has moved to the third lane with and is in a great position to strike. There’re about two lengths to the fourth place Anybodys Authority, who’s by herself there, a length in front of Luminous Gold, who is coming up empty today. Mazula School and Zero Out are each starting to get more interested while Stefania has called it a day.

(Finish- 1:48.76)- Ever so slightly, Lucille makes progress on Multiple Shadows with every stride, and it seemed as though Multiple Shadows attempted to put up a block that may have interested the virtual stewards, if they existed. That would not matter in the long run, as Lucille was the better of the two, and her steady progress would see her get up for the win just in time, by a head over Multiple Shadows. Us Against The World was within a length in third while the hard charging Zero Out gets the fourth-place spoils. The rest of the order will read Anybodys Authority, Mazula School, Luminous Gold, and Stefania.

About The Winner- Lucille, trained by D J C Racing Stables and ridden to victory by J R Velazquez, is a two-year-old filly by Liberty Valance and is out of Wow. She was bred in New York by D J C Racing Stables as a yearling, and they have been together throughout. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her fourth in eight starts, third stake win and second graded win. Her career earnings are now $893.000.

Track: Fast
Time: :47²  1:11³  1:36¹  1:48³

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 1 – 6 Paid 67.00
$1 Trifecta: 1 – 6 – 3 Paid 140.20

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES