Just Aloof has easy time with Jimmy Durante Stakes
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DEL MAR, Calif. - Jockey Hector Berrios and 2-year-old fillies were a tough team in Del Mar stakes this fall.
On Oct. 31, Berrios won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Super Corredora, and the Golden State Juvenile Fillies for statebreds with Mohaven.
On Saturday, Berrios guided Just Aloof to an appealing win in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on turf.
Just Aloof was always handy for Berrios, stalking pacesetter Bourbon and Ginger before taking the lead when the field reached the stretch. A narrow lead quickly expanded. Just Aloof led by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining and by 2 1/2 lengths over Latte Luv at the finish.
“The filly was very strong,” Berrios said.
Sent off favored, Just Aloof ($8) ran a mile in 1:36.78 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 73.
The $103,000 Jimmy Durante Stakes was Just Aloof’s second win in as many starts. Trained by Chad Brown for Whisper Hill Farm, Just Aloof won a maiden race at a mile on turf at Aqueduct on Oct. 16 with an eye-catching rally in the final furlong. By Justify, Just Aloof has earned $106,750.
In the Jimmy Durante Stakes, Just Aloof was second for the first six furlongs, tracking 29-1 Bourbon and Ginger, who set an early pace of 22.63 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.21 for a half-mile.
“When I put her second, she was very comfortable,” Berrios said.
Latte Luv (8-1) was third or fourth for the first six furlongs, racing on the inside. Latte Luv, who was ridden by Mirco Demuro, was second in early stretch, but could not keep pace with Just Aloof.
“When the winner broke, my filly stayed there,” Demuro said. “She’s a small filly with a big heart.”
At the finish, Latte Luv was a half-length in front of 10-1 La Ville Lumiere and 9-2 Yours Sincerely, who finished in a dead heat for third.
Wild Like the West finished fifth, followed by Hypergamy, Special Wood, Cee Drew, Sweet Little Lila, Umbralle, and Bourbon and Ginger.
Just Aloof’s win was the first time that Berrios rode for Brown, annually one of the nation’s leading trainers.
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