Muhimma is one big, strong imposing filly, and gave every sign she’s a rising star with a comfortable one-length victory in the $250,000 Demoiselle Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct on Saturday.
The 2-year-old gray daughter of Munnings broke from the rail, took the lead after a few strides under Florent Geroux and seemed in charge all the way around the track, even as Ballerina d’Oro made a late run and finished second.
Muhimma. NYRA/Coglianese Photo.
Muhimma is officially on the road to the Kentucky Oaks
The Demoiselle is a Kentucky Oaks (G1) points qualifier, with Muhimma earning 10 points, Ballerina d’Oro five points, and the next three finishers, Liam in the Dust, Five a Side, and Carmen’s Candy Jar, picking up 3-2-1 points, respectively.
Muhimma, the 2-5 favorite in the field of 10, returned $2.80 on a $2 win bet and covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.84, more than a half-second faster than Poster, who won the $250,000 Remsen Stakes (G2), a Derby prep, in an earlier race.
Owned by Shadwell Stable, Muhimma is now 3-0 and is part of a Cox entourage of 2-year-old fillies that include Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner Immersive (4-0) and Good Cheer (4-0).
“From the one hole, I thought, break and get forward position,” Cox said. “I thought, on paper, the early speed rating had her as one of the faster horses in the race, so we wanted to try to take control of the race. I thought Florent did a good job of that.”
Geroux, who was aboard the filly in her first two wins by a combined 13 lengths, said: “She started to cruise through very reasonable fractions. From there, I gave her a few reminders down the lane to keep her busy to the wire. She was kind of looking around at the end. If anything, I think she lost a little bit of focus. It was her first time running here from a long ship from Kentucky.”
In the featured $500,000 Cigar Mile (G1), 2-1 favorite Locked ($6.30) beat Mullikin by 1 ½ lengths.
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