Julia Shining Jumps Into Graded Company in Demoiselle

Less than two months ago, Julia Shining  made an unforgettable first start when she swept a field of 11 Oct. 16 at Keeneland in a back-to-front move to break her maiden on first asking for Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stables.

When asked after the race where the full sister to Malathaat  would land next following her impressive debut, Banke mentioned she needed to speak to Todd Pletcher—who trains the 2-year-old filly—and make up a plan.

Now the plan has been made, and it seems it may be one that many expected after the filly's show-stopping performance. Julia Shining will look to follow in her big sister's footsteps when she moves up to graded company in the Dec. 3 Demoiselle Stakes (G2) for 2-year-old fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Two years ago it was the Stonestreet-bred 2021 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Malathaat who was beginning her career for Pletcher and Shadwell Stable. She found success in her first two starts and then moved on to win the Demoiselle on her first try at the level. The 4-year-old has gone on to record six grade 1 wins including a gutsy finish in the Nov. 5 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1).

"Physically, they're a little bit different, but they're both very impressive fillies to watch train and she's shown talent from the beginning," Pletcher said. "I always felt like the further she gets the opportunity to go, the better she'll get. That's why we have been pointing for the Demoiselle."

Not only are both fillies by a leading sire in Curlin  , they are out of the superb Stonestreet race mare Dreaming of Julia , a daughter of A.P. Indy who won the 2012 Frizette Stakes (G1), 2013 Gulfstream Oaks (G2), and placed in both the 2012 Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and the 2013 Mother Goose Stakes (G1).

Looking to carry on the talent of her family, Julia Shining will go 1 1/8 miles over the main track at the New York oval on Saturday. Back in October, Banke noted that Julia Shining would prefer a longer distance: "She's not a sprinter. But when she gets going, she gets going."

If she were to win, Julia Shining and Malathaat would be the first pair of siblings since full sisters Coquette and Celandria won back-to-back in 1914 and 1915.

Stablemate Gambling Girl  also seeks her first graded stakes score after breaking her maiden in August at Saratoga Race Course for Repole Stable. She won the Sept. 23 Joseph A. Gimma Stakes and finished just off the board in fourth in the Maid of the Mist Stakes last out.

The daughter of Dialed In   was a $200,000 purchase by Repole from Denali Stud's consignment to the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Sale. Thus far the New York-bred filly has earned $144,210 from five starts.

Completing the field is Nov. 6 Tempted Stakes runner-up Foggy Night , Breffni Farm's homebred Royal Spa , Rudy Rodriguez trainee La Vita Sofia , AMO Racing USA's Affirmative Lady , and Tribal Queen  who broke her maiden Oct. 27 during the Belmont At The Big A meet for trainer Anthony Dutrow.

The Demoiselle is a Road to the Kentucky Oaks qualifier, offering qualifying points on a 10-4-3-2-1 basis to its top five finishers. Churchill Downs utilizes qualifying points as a preference system when the May 5 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) draws beyond its maximum field size of 14 participants.

Multiple grade 1 winner Nest  was victorious in the 2021 Demoiselle and went on to a runner-up finish in the Kentucky Oaks.