Cookie Dough targets Tempted Stakes, will skip BC

Cookie Dough will target the Grade 3 Tempted Stakes on Nov. 2 at Aqueduct rather than the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies the same day at Churchill Downs, Arindel racing manager Brian Cohen said Friday.

Cookie Dough scored a 7 1/2-length victory in the $400,000 My Dear Girl Stakes on Sept. 29 at Gulfstream Park, after breaking from post 12 in the 1 1/16-mile race. What seemed like a good idea at the time soon gave way to realistic expectations.

“The first thing I thought, if she can win from that post, five- and six-wide we want to go to the Breeders’ Cup,” Cohen said. “I saw her do that, not even looking at the times.”

Plans changed after analyzing the race.

“I was thinking full speed ahead,” Cohen said. “They went faster the first three-quarters than the boys did. But they ended up going two and a half seconds slower than the boys.”

Cookie Dough went the first six furlongs in 1:13.53 and finished in 1:47.50. Two races later, the 2-year-old colt Well Defined won the $400,000 In Reality Stakes after six furlongs in 1:13.74 and final time of 1:44.97. Cookie Dough earned a 68 Beyer.

“I love the filly, but we’re leaning against going to Churchill,” Cohen said. “What we’re looking at doing is bring her up to Aqueduct and run in the Tempted on Breeders’ Cup day.”

The Grade 3 Tempted is a mile race for 2-year-old fillies with a purse of $150,000.

Cookie Dough, owned and bred by Arindel, is by the Arindel stallion Brethren. Cookie Dough has won two races and $372,500 from five starts. She is trained by Stanley Gold. Her regular rider is Jeffrey Sanchez.