Life Talk gives Pletcher fourth consecutive Demoiselle Stakes win

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - On a sealed, muddy track that was playing kind to front-runners, Life Talk was able to make an easy lead, set leisurely fractions while virtually uncontested and win Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Demoiselle Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths at Aqueduct.

Shimmering Allure, the Tempted Stakes winner, had a wide trip under Junior Alvarado but was good enough to finish second, one length ahead of Dolomite. It was 8 1/4 lengths back to Most of All.

Caldwell Luvs Gold finished fifth and was followed in the order of finish by Vino Rouge, Ringy Dingy and Cozee Rags. Caress scratched to run in an allowance race at Aqueduct on Sunday.

The victory by Life Talk was a solid bounce-back performance from a fourth-place finish behind Just F Y I in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies four weeks ago at Santa Anita. It also gave trainer Todd Pletcher his ninth victory in the Demoiselle, fourth in a row.

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Noting the speed-favoring nature of Aqueduct’s main track, Pletcher instructed Irad Ortiz Jr. to be aggressive with Life Talk out of the gate. Breaking from post 3, Life Talk was able to make the front and secure inside position while five other horses were outside of her entering the first turn.

Life Talk went an opening quarter in 24.10 seconds and continued comfortably through a half-mile in 48.65 and six furlongs in 1:13.10. Ortiz said he felt he had so much horse at that point that he didn’t begin to ask her for run until the top of the lane.

“She was so relaxed, waiting for me, at the three-eighths pole, I got nobody else around, I still feel I have plenty of horse,” Ortiz said. “I didn’t call on her yet, I didn’t even move my hands. As soon as I did, she picked it up and she responded.”

Life Talk, a daughter of Gun Runner owned by Mike Repole, covered the 1 1/8 miles over the sealed, muddy track in 1:51.10 and returned $4 as the even-money favorite.

“I thought it was great, you’re always concerned coming back after going cross country for the Breeders’ Cup, but she handled it well,” Pletcher said. “We wanted to take some initiative leaving the gate, put her into the race and it worked out nicely. Proud of her effort.”

Shimmering Allure broke from post 6 and found herself four-wide under Junior Alvarado entering the first turn. She had to maintain a wide position for most of the trip, made a run at Life Talk at the quarter pole, but couldn’t sustain her run through the lane and had to settle for second.

“I’m sure I gave three to five lengths to the winner just going with that trip that I had,” Alvarado said. “I don’t think there’s much I could do at that point. But still she gave me a great run.”

The top five finishers earned qualifying points to next spring’s Kentucky Oaks on a 10-5-3-2-1 basis.

Combined with points earned in previous races, Life Talk has 19 points toward the Oaks.

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