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Pussycat is Humana Distaff Doll

Pussycat Doll pussyfooted her way to the winner's circle in the Humana (Reed Palmer/Churchill Downs) Michael Pegram's homebred PUSSYCAT DOLL (Real Quiet) finished strongly to earn her second career Grade 1 victory on Saturday, wearing down stablemate Behaving Badly (Pioneering) in deep stretch and drawing clear to a one-length decision in the $291,000 Humana Distaff H. (G1). Trained by Bob Baffert, the four-year-old filly raced a couple of lengths behind as 4-5 favorite Behaving Badly set the pace, turning the opening quarter in a reasonable :23 and quickening through a half-mile in :45 4/5. Jockey Garrett Gomez guided Pussycat Doll to the inside of the pacesetter after straightening for home, then altered course to the outside in midstretch to catch the leader. Behaving Badly still led after six furlongs in 1:09 2/5, but Pussycat Doll split rivals to hit the front and finished seven furlongs in 1:21 3/5 over the fast track. "She got stirred up a little today," Gomez commented. "Stirred up in the post parade. Maybe it was the big crowd. So I had to get after her some when the running came; had to get her mind where it needed to be. She responded well." Winner of the seven-furlong La Brea S. (G1) on New Year's Eve, Pussycat Doll has now earned $507,831 from her 10-5-1-1 record.

She left the starting gate Saturday as the 4-1 third choice in the eight-horse field and paid $10, $3.80 and $3. Behaving Badly held second by 1 1/4 lengths over Bending Strings (American Chance), who raced in second most of the way at 13-1. Place was good for $2.80 and $2.40, and show returned $5. The exotics tallied $20.40 (exacta), $164.60 (trifecta) and $623.60 for the 8-7-9-6 superfecta with the 11-1 Atlas Valley (Capote) in fourth. Nossa Cancao (Brz) (Fast Gold), Splendid Blended (Unbridled's Song), and Eastern Lily (Eastern Echo) rounded out the order of finish. Malibu Mint (Malibu Moon) stumbled badly at the start, unseating jockey Julien Leparoux, and Leave Me Alone (Bold Badgett) was scratched.

The first foal out of 1999 La Brea winner and five-time stakes heroine Hookedonthefeelin (Citidancer), the Kentucky-bred Pussycat Doll needed three starts to break her maiden and then finished second in the Santa Ysabel S. (G3) early last year. She went to the sidelines for 7 1/2 months and returned to the races with a victory in September's Torrey Pines S. at Del Mar. She also captured the Audrey Skirball-Kenis S. last November. Her only unplaced efforts in graded stakes have come around two turns. The bay filly has a two-year-old half-brother named New Heights (Unbridled's Song), a yearling half-sister by Vindication and a 2006 half-brother by Unbridled's Song.

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