Shotgun Hottie takes command of duPont Distaff down the stretch

BALTIMORE - Class relief and a perfect trip led to a comfortable victory for Shotgun Hottie, who dominated Friday’s $100,000 Allaire duPont Distaff by 5 3/4 lengths at Pimlico.

Dropping out of a fourth-place finish behind Adare Manor in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park last month, Shotgun Hottie was facing only one graded stakes winner - Julia Shining - in the listed Allaire duPont.

Breaking from the outside post in the seven-horse field under Paco Lopez, Shotgun Hottie sat third behind Lacie Be Good and Musical Mischief, who dueled through splits of 24.57 seconds for the quarter, 48.60 for the half, and 1:12.22 for six furlongs.

Coming to the quarter pole, Shotgun Hottie crept up alongside Musical Mischief and jockey John Velazquez but Lopez looked behind him to see if Julia Shining, the 2022 Grade 2 Demoiselle winner was in the vicinity.

When Lopez saw that she wasn’t, he concentrated on getting by Musical Mischief, which was accomplished before the eighth pole, and he just waved his crop at Shotgun Hottie to get her to finish up.

:: DRF's Preakness Headquarters: Contenders, latest news, and more

“I know when I come into the stretch, I had plenty of filly today,” Lopez said. “I looked for [Julia Shining], when I never saw her I saw Johnny [Velazquez] was a little comfortable so I picked it up with Johnny.”

Shotgun Hottie, a 5-year-old daughter of Gun Runner owned by Omar Aldabbagh and Jeff Ganje and trained by Cherie DeVaux, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.60 and returned $3.60 to win.

“Just really pleased for the outcome,” DeVaux said. “She’s faced a lot of formidable competition in her last couple of races. This was a step down as far from a Grade 1 to come into an overnight [stakes] but it’s a stepping-stone to get to the Molly Pitcher.”

DeVaux was referring to the Grade 3, $500,000 Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Park on July 20. Shotgun Hottie won the Molly Pitcher last year.

DeVaux credited Lopez with getting Shotgun Hottie to relax in her races. DeVaux said that in some of Shotgun Hottie’s previous starts she has a tendency to want to do too much too soon.

“She’s a big filly, you can’t stop her and get her going again,” DeVaux said. “So, it’s really important to get her relaxed behind the speed or on the outside and Paco does a great job of doing that.”

Musical Mischief, who was second in an allowance at Keeneland last month, finished second by 3 1/4 lengths over Queen of Missoula.

:: Get ready for the Preakness with DRF past performances, picks, and betting strategies!

“She ran well enough, it always looked like the winner was going very easy,” said Michael McCarthy, the trainer of Musical Mischief. “The fractions were very fair, she was certainly second best today.”

Following Queen of Missoula in the order of finish were Julia Shining, Lacie Be Good, Western Lane, and Intrepid Dream. Cats Inthe Timber was scratched.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.