Brown hopeful Concurrently will relish added distance in G2 Demoiselle

Klaravich Stables’ Concurrently will look to make her stakes debut a winning one in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Demoiselle, a nine-furlong route for juvenile fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack. 

 

The Demoiselle [Race 3] awards the top-five finishers with 10-5-3-2-1 qualifying points towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, and is one of six stakes races on Saturday’s 11-race card, which is headlined by the Grade 2, $500,000 Cigar Mile Handicap in Race 10. The card also features the Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen in Race 9, the Grade 3, $250,000 Elite Power in Race 5 and two $500,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series events at seven furlongs for eligible state-sired juveniles in the Great White Way [Race 11] and Fifth Avenue for fillies [Race 8]. First post is 11:20 a.m. Eastern. 

 

Concurrently enters from a local third-out graduation going one mile on November 2for five-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Chad Brown. There, the American Pharoah bay was a prominent winner under returning rider Flavien Prat after pressuring the early pace, taking a two-length lead at the stretch call and gamely fending off the late rush of Cara Fiore by a half-length. 

 

That effort came on the back of a nose second to returning rival Believable in September here in her dirt debut and a flat sixth in her career bow over the Saratoga Race Course turf in August. 

 

Brown said Concurrently has flourished this fall while training over the Belmont Park training track. 

 

“She’s really done well,” Brown said. “I’m very pleased with how she’s developed here at Belmont. 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.”

 

In her latest effort, Concurrently raced more prominently than in her other two outings, and Brown said he expects that to be the case going forward. 

 

“I think you’ll see more of that as the distances increase,” he said. 

 

A $150,00 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Concurrently is out of the Grade 3-placed Midnight Lute mare Dreamcall, a half-sister to Grade 1-placed stakes producer Glorified and the unraced Oblige, dam of Grade 1-winner Hunter O’Riley. 

 

Prat has the call from post 4.

 

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher holds a record eight Demoiselle wins, and will have two chances to further his success with the Repole Stables-owned pair of Zany [post 3, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and Believable [post 6, John Velazquez, blinkers ON]. 

 

Zany was a debut winner sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on November 2 at Gulfstream Park where she set a pressured pace under Emisael Jaramillo, marking splits of 22.58 seconds and 45.72 over the fast footing. The American Pharoah chestnut took a one-length lead at the half-mile call, and widened her margin throughout the latter stages to coast home 6 1/2 lengths in front in a final time of 1:16.98. The effort was awarded a field-best 76 Beyer Speed Figure. 

 

A $350,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, Zany is out of the Grade 3-winning Uncle Mo mare Mo’ Green. She has worked twice at Palm Beach Downs since her debut, including a half-mile in 48.77 on November 29. 

 

The stakes-placed Believable faces a rematch with Shilling after finishing a four-length second to her last out in the Listed Tempted going one-mile on November 6 here. The Curlin bay stalked the pace in fifth through the half-mile and gave chase five-wide under Kendrick Carmouche, keeping on down the lane to secure the minor awards in her first effort against winners. 

 

Believable was a nose winner over Concurrently going one mile here in September with a pacesetting trip. The $800,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale is out of the Tapit mare Temptress, making her a full-sister to dual graded stakes-winning millionaire Tenfold. 

 

Fern Circle Stables’ Shilling [post 2, Chris Elliott] looks to bring her win streak to three after her aforementioned win over Believable in the Listed Tempted. 

 

Trained by Ken McPeek, the Global Campaign bay overcame a bobble at the start to set the pace and never looked back under Chris Elliott, who has been aboard for each of her three outings. 

 

“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.

 

“She showed that speed in her last two starts and it’s been a big factor in her victories,” McPeek added. “I’m not sure who goes with her here, but she’s certainly got enough speed to make the pace.” 

 

Shilling’s Tempted victory came on the heels of a neck graduation sprinting seven furlongs on October 16 here, which garnered a career-best 75 Beyer. The $105,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale is out of the winning Exchange Rate mare Pounds to Pennies. 

 

Imaginary Stables’ Jumping the Gun [post 1, Julio Hernanez] enters from a second in Delaware Park’s White Clay Creek on October 11 for trainer Andrew Simoff. The Gun Runner bay won her first three starts – all at Delaware – including the six-furlong Blue Hen by 4 1/4 lengths in August. 

 

Completing the field is Lucky Hat Racing’s Ivy Girl [post 5, Manny Franco], who enters from a second-out graduation going one mile on November 15 here for trainer Amelia Green. 

 

America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct Racetrack fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/. 

 

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.