Barbaro Half Sister Madame Milan Earns Maiden Win

Lael Stables' homebred Madame Milan, a juvenile half sister to 2006 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Barbaro, took advantage of a stretch out in distance to earn her first victory in a competitive maiden special weight Oct. 13 at Laurel Park.

By 2006 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Bernardini , out of the Carson City mare La Ville Rouge, Lael Stables homebred Madame Milan completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.93 over a turf course labeled firm. It was 1 1/4 lengths back to runner-up Dancingwithpaynter, who was 6 1/4 lengths clear of Luna in third. Madame Milan was the 4-5 favorite in the field of 10 2-year-old fillies.

Third by a length in her debut going about 7 1/2 furlongs on the Delaware Park turf Sept. 9, on Friday Madame Milan settled under jockey Daniel Centeno from the rail post. She saved ground racing in mid-pack, squeezed to her outside by Ferdinada, as Dancingwithpaynter took the field through fractions of 24.07 seconds, 50.29, and 1:15.84.

Madame Milan continued to gain ground inside around the far turn and into the lane, before Centeno swung to the middle of the track to reel in a stubborn Dancingwithpaynter and edge clear for trainer Arnaud Delacour.

"She ran pretty good the first time at Delaware going 7 1/2. I told Arnaud that going farther is going to be easier for her," Centeno said. "Today the track was pretty soft and she broke a little slow, so I just sat off the pace and waited to run, and when I put her in the clear in the stretch, she just took off. I went to put her outside (of Dancingwithtpaynter), and she went right to the lead and galloped out real good and everything. I think the distance helped her a lot."