Positive Spirit dominates Demoiselle Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Rodolphe Brisset was planning to spend this weekend in Southern California where he has Mission Impassible entered in Sunday’s Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes at Del Mar.

Brisset had to make a detour first, flying from his base in Kentucky to New York to run his filly, Positive Spirit, in the Grade 2, $250,000 Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct.

“I was not supposed to come here,” Brisset said.

Just 23 days after winning a maiden race at Churchill Downs, Positive Spirit became a graded stakes winner, dominating Saturday’s Demoiselle Stakes by 10 1/2 lengths at Aqueduct.

A stalking presence while forced to race four wide under Manny Franco down the backside, Positive Spirit took command approaching the five-sixteenths pole and just galloped away from the field thereafter.

Afleet Destiny, far back early, rallied to be second by 2 1/4 lengths over Filly Joel. Molta Bella, Enliven, Jennifer’s Dream, and Girl of Tosconova completed the order of finish.

The win gave Brisset his first victory in New York. Brisset, who has had two previous graded stakes winners in Quip and Talk Veuve to Me, worked as an assistant and exercise rider for Bill Mott on this circuit for 11 years.

“We usually don’t run them back in [23] days, the filly was showing me every sign she was doing really good so we decided to come here and I’m glad I came with her,” said Brisset who trains Positive Spirit for owner Mike Ryan.

Positive Spirit is by Pioneerof the Nile out of the dam Above Perfection making her a three-quarter sister to 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming.

Filly Joel, under Jose Lezcano, set the pace while in the three path down the backside. She was pressed by Enliven, the 6-5 favorite under Joe Bravo, with Positive Spirit just off of Enliven. The half-mile went in 49.19 seconds.

Positive Spirit joined the leaders after six furlongs in 1:15.51 and gradually edged away.

Franco said he didn’t mind being wide.

“I said 'I’m going to keep her here' – clean face, she was doing it easy, I was waiting for the moment to make my run,” Franco said. “She took me to the front.”

Positive Spirit covered the 1 1/8 miles over a fast track in 1:56.01 and returned $24.40.

Brisset said Positive Spirit would remain in New York for a few days – taking up residence in his former boss Mott’s Belmont Park barn – before shipping to Payson Park in Florida. Brisset said Positive Spirit would get a month off before he starts training her for a 3-year-old campaign he hopes will include the Kentucky Oaks. The filly earned 10 qualifying points toward that race by virtue of her Demoiselle win Saturday.

Enliven, the favorite coming off a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Tempted here on Nov. 2, was fifth, beaten 23 lengths.

“No real excuse,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. “Just not a good day for us. Winner most impressive.”