Lake Avenue cruises to victory in Demoiselle Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Lake Avenue overcame a slow start from the extreme outside post in a 10-horse field to record a front-running, four-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct.

The win gave owner Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing its third stakes victory with a 2-year-old in as many days at Aqueduct. On Thursday, Godolphin won the off-the-turf Tepin Stakes with Antoinette. On Friday, Godolphin won the Central Park Stakes on turf with Pixelate.

Lake Avenue is a daughter of Grade 1 winners Tapit and Seventh Street. She is trained by Bill Mott and was ridden to victory by Junior Alvarado, who won three races on Saturday’s 10-race program.

Lake Avenue earned 10 qualifying points toward the May 1 Kentucky Oaks. She certainly proved the Oaks distance of 1 1/8 miles won’t be problematic.

Alvarado said Lake Avenue tried to break through the gate before the doors opened. He said she was pulled back by an assistant starter. When the gates did open, Lake Avenue hopped a bit. Still, Alvarado used Lake Avenue’s speed to make the lead after an opening quarter of 24.70 seconds over a slow-playing surface.

Lake Avenue maintained a 1 1/2-length advantage over Critical Value through a half-mile in 50.76, and six furlongs in 1:15.93.

As Critical Value faded, Lake Avenue found herself with a three-length lead at the eighth pole. She ultimately won by four while Maedean rallied to get second by a neck over Blame Debbie.

“She kind of hopped out of there, it wasn’t the greatest start, but she recovered pretty quick and I was just along for the ride,” Alvarado said.

Lake Avenue, who seemed to loaf a bit in the stretch, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:54.55 and returned $10.80 as the co third-choice.

“She’s a little green, but it appeared she had a little more in the tank,” Mott said.

Trainer Mark Hennig had been looking forward to trying Maedean around two turns. Sixth early and between horses, she showed good courage in the stretch to get up for second under Luis Saez.

“I didn’t think she got the greatest trip,” Hennig said. “The first turn kind of put her in a bad spot, and she was kind of stuck there while they walked the dog. We would have loved to see more pace, obviously.”

Both Lake Avenue and Maedean will be heading south for the winter, according to their trainers.