Dame Dorothy Courageous in the Humana Distaff

In the shadow of the wire, courageous Dame Dorothy made a desperate lunge to beat Judy the Beauty to win an exciting renewal of the Humana Distaff (G-1).

A compact field of six fillies and mares battled for seven furlongs.  Moonlit Stroll  made all of the pace, with Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint heroine Judy The Beauty tracking her in second.  Thank You Marylou  sat in third under a tight hold while Dame Dorothy followed her in fourth. After a slow quarter in :23 flat,  Judy the Beauty honed in on Moonlit Stroll while Thank You Marylou saved ground on the rail.  Dame Dorothy geared up for her best shot.  

Spinning out of the far turn, Judy the Beauty and Dame Dorothy pulled even with Moonlit Stroll and the three battled down the lane. As Moonlit Stroll weakened with a furlong to go, Dame Dorothy eyeballed Judy the Beauty.  In the shadow of the wire, courageous Dame Dorothy made a desperate lunge to beat Judy the Beauty.  Moonlit Stroll checked in third a half length back and Clearly Confused finished fourth.  The final time was 1:22.57 which was comparable to last year’s time of 1:22.23.

“You’ve got to use this filly away from there; she’s not the quickest out of the gate," said winning rider, Julien Leparoux. "So I got after her and she responded. When we got position, I felt very good. Every time I asked her, she gave it to me. Coming down the stretch I knew it was going to be close. I knew (race favorite) Judy the Beauty  was going to be tough. But my filly kept responding and she gave me so much confidence I felt I could celebrate a little before the wire.”

Dame Dorothy rewarded backers with $7.20, for the win $3.20  to place and $2.60 to show.  As the favorite, Judy the Beauty paid $2.80, $2.20 and Moonlit Stroll offered $5.20 to show.

Dame Dorothy (Bernardini - Vole Vole Monamour, by Woodman) was piloted by Javier Castellano for Todd Pletcher.  In her previous start, the daughter of Bernardini finished second in the Santa Margarita Stakes (G-1). The four year old filly was bred by Derry Meeting Farm and was a $390,000 Keeneland September Yearling purchase by Bobby Flay.  Dame Dorothy is a half sister to Mrs. Lindsay, a French Group 1 turf router who also captured the 1 ¼ mile E.P. Taylor Stakes.