Lady Pauline Impresses in Debut Win at Keeneland
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Lady Pauline breaks her maiden on debut by 9 3/4 lengths at Keeneland
When it comes to success on the racetrack, sometimes it's all in the family.
A 4 1/2-furlong maiden race proved to be of little challenge to Stonestreet Stables' homebred Lady Pauline, who dominated in gate-to-wire fashion to take the sprint by 9 3/4 lengths April 5 at Keeneland.
"We were expecting it, but it's a first race," said Stonestreet owner Barbara Banke. "(She's) a 2-year-old, and I'm always nervous."
A half sister to Cartier Award winner Lady Aurelia—who also broke her maiden on debut at 2 at Keeneland—Lady Pauline broke on top and bumped briefly with Banana Pepper before shaking free to take the lead.
Kolten's Court gave chase around the turn in second followed by Thirsty Junior in third. Racing in the middle of the pack, Two Dot made her bid for the front at the top of the stretch and dueled with Thirsty Junior.
Lady Pauline made quick work of her competition in midstretch and shrugged off the pair with ease. Under mild urging from jockey John Velazquez, the filly steadily widened her winning margin to the finish. Final time for the race was :51.71 on a track listed as good.
Bred in Kentucky and trained by Wesley Ward, Lady Pauline is the fifth winner from six starters out of the Forest Wildcat mare D'Wildcat Speed and the first by Munnings. The mare, who was named Puerto Rico's Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly of 2003, was purchased by Stonestreet at the 2005 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. She produced a Medaglia d'Oro filly in 2019 and was open in 2018.
A multiple group 1 winner in Europe, Lady Aurelia was campaigned for the majority of her career by Stonestreet Stables and Peter Leidel. The daughter of Scat Daddy was retired to join Stonestreet's broodmare band in 2018 with a 5-2-1 record from 10 starts and $834,945 in earnings.
"She was always on the list as a keeper," Banke said of Lady Pauline. "We're so glad to have another filly from the fabulous D'Wildcat Speed."