Muhimma Gives Munnings Aqueduct Juvenile Stakes Double

For the second time in half an hour, Munnings registered a juvenile stakes winner at Aqueduct on Saturday when Muhimma (2f Munnings x Princesa Carolina, by Tapit) followed up Poster’s Grade II Remsen victory with a win in the Grade II Demoiselle Stakes.

Unlike Poster’s run from the back of the field, Muhimma played a game of ‘catch me if you can’ in her own 1 1/8-mile dirt race.

After breaking from the inside gate, the filly was kept contained by Florent Geroux when racing about half a length ahead with her ears pricked. Two horses closely attended her down the backstretch, but she didn’t seem to be under much pressure as she relaxed on the lead. Pulling away as they entered the turn, she was a clear leader until one other runner tried to make a run in the stretch.

Muhimma wasn’t willing to give in and flashed under the line a length in front with the third place finisher 7 ¾ lengths behind her at the end.

“First time 2-year-olds going that far, I thought they [the fractions] were quick enough and she fended off a horse making a run at her down the lane, so she showed some determination and she showed she could handle the mile and an eighth,” said trainer Brad Cox. “She’s big. She’s by a very good sire, very good broodmare sire, and the mare herself was good going long. We felt confident she would handle the distance and right now she just needs to handle the mile and an eighth. I’m happy with the performance today.”

A $700,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase by Shadwell Racing from Taylor Made, Muhimma has won all three of her starts and now has 10 Road to the Kentucky Oaks points, putting her eighth on that leaderboard.

Bred by Three Chimneys Farm, Muhimma is the second winner from two runners out of stakes winner Princesa Carolina. That mare is one of five winners out of dual Grade I winner Pure Clan, who is a half-sister to Grade II winner and stakes placed Gather The Day among the nine winners out of Grade III winner Gather The Clan.

Munnings has sired four 2-year-old stakes winners and nine 2-year-old stakes performers this year with his stakes performers also including the Grade I placed So There She Was.