Shilling Attempts Added Distance in Demoiselle

Six promising 2-year-old fillies are set to stretch out to 1 1/8 miles Dec. 6 in the $250,000 Demoiselle Stakes (G2), and they better bring their "A" game to knock off Fern Creek Stables' Shilling at Aqueduct Racetrack. The Kenny McPeek-trained daughter of Global Campaign won the one-mile local prep on the track Nov. 6, the Tempted Stakes, in impressive fashion. After a slight studder-step, Shilling moved forward beneath Christopher Elliott as they entered the backstretch to take command from favored Secane. Confronted by that rival at the three-eighths pole, she responded and kicked on to a 4-length win. McPeek told New York Racing Association publicity that he believes the filly's speed has played a "big factor" in her two career wins. "This should be a good spot for her as long as she can handle the added distance," McPeek said. "We've been more than pleased with her last two runs and I think Jimmy (Jerkens, assistant) has got her locked and loaded for this one, too." The 1 1/8 miles is a question for all six runners, and a question that connections will want answered as the race offers qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale. That major target for 3-year-old fillies is conducted at the same distance May 1. One of Shilling's early pace competitors could come from the barn of Repole Stable and Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. Zany, a daughter of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, flashed her early speed in a 6 1/2-furlong debut win at Gulfstream Park Nov. 2, winning by a 6 1/2 lengths. Irad Ortiz Jr. will be in town to take the reins. Should her speed not lead to victory, it could help set up her stablemate, Believable, who closed from last to finish second behind Shilling in the Tempted. Breaking from the far outside in the expected field of six on Saturday, the Curlin filly will receive changes in the form of added blinkers and Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez in the irons. Klaravich Stables' Concurrently, another American Pharoah filly, is the lone contender in the field to have raced beyond a mile after traveling 1 1/16 miles on turf when sixth in her debut. Over her three starts—the last two at a mile on dirt—the Chad Brown trainee has learned to race closer to the pace and picked up her maiden win by a half-length Nov. 2. In her second start, she was beaten a nose by Believable. Brown is confident the added distance will be right up her alley. "I'm very pleased with how she's developed here at Belmont," Brown told NYRA publicity. "I got her career started off on the wrong foot by putting her in a turf race, but once we put her onto the dirt and let her develop that route, she's done well. It was a hard-fought win last time and I think she's looking for a mile-and-an-eighth on the dirt. The trip should suit her." Shipping in from Delaware Park is Imaginary Stables' Jumping the Gun for trainer Andrew Simoff. The most experienced runner in the field, the Gun Runner filly won a pair of stakes at her home track in the summer and was most recently second in her first try at a mile in the White Clay Creek Stakes Oct. 11. Also in the field is Lucky Hat Racing's Ivy Girl for Amelia Green, who exits a maiden victory at the $40,000 claiming level.