Aqueduct: Teen Pauline dominates Ladies Handicap

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - This one was over early.

Teen Pauline, who looked like the lone speed on paper, played out as the lone speed on the snow-covered Aqueduct inner track, taking control of the $100,000 Ladies Handicap a few strides out of the gate and cruising to a 10 3/4-length victory at Aqueduct. Flash Forward, who chased the winner all the way around the track, finished second by 5 3/4 lengths over Centring. Firenze Feeling and Royal Lahaina completed the order of finish.

The win was the fourth from 10 career starts for Teen Pauline and second straight in a stakes race. On New Year’s Day, Teen Pauline went gate to wire in the $100,000 Affectionately, winning by 4 3/4 lengths. Teen Pauline is a 4-year-old daughter of Tapit owned and bred by Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables and trained by Todd Pletcher.

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. said Teen Pauline was a little antsy in the gate, but she ultimately relaxed entering the first turn.

“She wanted to run off a little bit the first part but in the first turn I grabbed her and took a long hold and she relaxed pretty good,” Ortiz said. “I said ‘I got a good chance.’ ”

With wind-blown snow whipping her in the face, Teen Pauline got loose under fractions of 24.34 seconds for the quarter, 48.46 for the half-mile, 1:12.15 for six furlongs, 1:37.27 for a mile, and covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.78. She returned $3.10 as the 1-2 favorite.

Byron Hughes, the assistant to Pletcher, said he would have liked to have seen slower early fractions, but felt that the filly was doing things comfortably.

“They weren’t ideal, but it turned out okay,” Hughes said. “She seems to be improving and improving every day.”

The only thing missing from Teen Pauline’s resume is a graded stakes victory. She may attempt to rectify that in the Grade 2, $200,000 Top Flight Handicap run here on March 1.