Oaklawn: My Miss Aurelia headed to Azeri

ARCADIA, Calif. - My Miss Aurelia will make her first start of the year on Saturday in the Grade 3, $150,000 Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park, trainer Steve Asmussen said Tuesday morning.

My Miss Aurelia also had been under consideration for the Grade 1, $300,000 Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita, also to be run Saturday. The Azeri requires My Miss Aurelia to carry 119 pounds over 1 1/16 miles. In the Santa Margarita, My Miss Aurelia would have carried 123 pounds over 1 1/8 miles.

“It is the right spot to start her year,” Asmussen said.

My Miss Aurelia has not raced since finishing third in the seven-furlong La Brea at Santa Anita on Dec. 26. Prior to that, she was second to Royal Delta in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic.

My Miss Aurelia, 4, was the champion 2-year-old filly of 2011. She finished second in voting for champion 3-year-old filly of 2012 to Questing.