Always Dreaming’s half-sister Positive Spirit romps in Demoiselle

Dec 01, 2018 by James Scully/TwinSpires.com

Michael Ryan’s Positive Spirit advanced to the lead on the far turn and drew off to a resounding victory in the Demoiselle (G2) at Aqueduct. A maiden scorer at Churchill Downs on November 8, the Rudolphe Brisset-trained filly won geared down by 10 1/2 lengths and earned 10 points for capturing the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series qualifier.

Manny Franco picked up the mount on the Pioneerof the Nile filly, who counts as a half-brother 2017  Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming, both hailing from the Grade 3-winning Above Perfection, a daughter of In Excess.

Bred in Kentucky by Santa Rosa Partners, Positive Spirit finished a rallying third when making her first start in a September 2 maiden special weight at Saratoga and closed from off the pace to be a neck runner-up in an October 6 maiden special weight at Keeneland.

She showed more early speed making her third appearance in a one-turn mile event at Churchill Downs, racing up close from the start and breaking her maiden by 1 1/2 lengths, and the bay filly was prominent from the start of the 1 1/8-mile Demoiselle, tracking pacesetter Filly Joel through opening splits in :24.16, :49.19 and 1:15.51.

Positive Spirit quickly put the race away while accelerating out of the far turn, reaching midstretch with a six-length edge, and she strolled to the wire. The final time was 1:56.01.

Off as the 11-1 fifth choice among seven juvenile fillies, Positive Spirit was followed by 26-1 outsider Afleet Destiny, who wound up 5 3/4 lengths clear of 5-2 Filly Joel in third. Molto Bella came next in third and 6-5 favorite Enliven, Jennifer’s Dream and Girl of Tosconova completed the order.