Breeders' Cup Juvenile Filly Turf winner Aunt Pearl will eye Royal Ascot trip

LEXINGTON, KY. – Trainer Brad Cox has nothing etched in stone for Aunt Pearl’s 2021 campaign, although he did say the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot is definitely one of the objectives next season for Friday’s impressive Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner.

Aunt Pearl broke in stride and never looked back in the one-mile Juvenile Fillies Turf, holding a comfortable advantage throughout before settling for a convincing and popular 2 1/2-length victory over Mother Earth. The win was the third in as many career starts for Aunt Pearl, who earned a career-best 91 Beyer Speed Figure.

Cox said Aunt Pearl came out of the Juvenile Fillies Turf “a little tired” but doing well on Saturday morning. Looking back on the race, Cox said everything played out pretty much as planned.

“I just thought with where we were and where the other speed was, it didn’t make sense to take back or try to make her rate,” Cox said. “Our plan was to take it to them. She was fortunate enough to clear off going into the turn, which was huge. She really relaxed and showed her class. She shut off for him [Florent Geroux] the second quarter, and I think that’s probably where the race was won.”

:: Want to get your Past Performances for free? Click to learn more.

Cox is still uncertain where Aunt Pearl will be stabled to begin her 3-year-old season, as he taken stalls at the Palm Meadows training center in South Florida along with his usual winter destinations of Oaklawn Park and Fair Grounds.

As for Ascot, Cox said, “given the pedigree, given she’s never raced on Lasix, those are only plusses. She seems to run on ground that has cut in it, like it did here yesterday, but she handles firm as well.”

Cox also is confident Aunt Pearl will carry her abundant speed up to 1 1/8 miles in the future.

“I guess when they’re that fast, you’re obviously concerned,” Cox said. “But I think the bottom side of her pedigree suggests she could at least get a mile and one-eighth. It’s not like they were getting to her at the end, and her gallop-outs are impressive. She’s just a very gifted filly with a lot of speed.”

– additional reporting by David Grening