Lady Aurelia half-sister makes big impression on debut at Keeneland

When it comes to success on the racetrack, sometimes it's all in the family.

A 4½f 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 nine and three quarters of a length at Keeneland on Friday.

"We were expecting it, but it's a first race," said Stonestreet owner Barbara Banke. "She's a two-year-old, and I'm always nervous."

Read more: Lady Aurelia to visit Curlin for star-studded first date

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 duelled with Thirsty Junior.

Lady Pauline made short work of her competition in mid-stretch and shrugged off the pair with ease. Under mild urging from jockey John Velazquez, the filly steadily widened her winning margin to the finish.

The 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 three-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 but no foal 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 ten 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."

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