Demoiselle: Protesting bred for success

A regal pedigree and success at nine furlongs would appear to give Protesting a slight advantage over six fellow maiden winners in the Grade 2, $200,000 Demoiselle Stakes for juvenile fillies. A daughter of A.P. Indy out of the Storm Cat mare On Parade, Protesting won a 1 1/8-mile maiden race by five lengths over Keeneland's Polytrack on Oct. 23 in her fourth start. Her Beyer Speed Figure of 67 was in line with her two previous numbers, both third-place finishes recorded in dirt races around one turn.

"I'm hoping it was the two turns and not the synthetic," trainer Shug McGaughey said when asked what he thought got Protesting to the winner's circle. "The first day I galloped her on [synthetic] I knew she liked it, but she's trained awfully well since she's been back here too. She's a big, tall filly. She's kind of grown into herself even though she's still growing. [By] A.P. Indy, a mile and an eighth is probably going to be her bag."

Trainer Kelly Breen sends out a George and Lori Hall-owned entry of In the Rough and Profiteroles, each coming off a maiden win around two turns at the Meadowlands. Breen believes In the Rough will prove to be a better turf horse, but he also feels she will relish the 1 1/8 miles of the Demoiselle.

Profiteroles, a daughter of Afleet Alex, will be making her third start in 27 days following a fourth-place finish sprinting on Nov. 2 and a 5 1/2-length victory going a mile on Nov. 13.

"If she were knocked out, I probably would not run her back," Breen said. "But she's training and doing well. I don't see any problem with it. But going from a maiden to a Grade 2 is a big task."

Fuzzy Britches won a $45,000 maiden claimer sprinting at Monmouth before finishing second in the Sorority at six furlongs and last of three in the off-the-turf Miss Grillo at Belmont on Oct. 4.