Aurelia outduels Questing to stay unbeaten in Cotillion

Last year's unbeaten champion two-year-old filly My Miss Aurelia outdueled

pro tem divisional leader Questing by a head in Saturday's $971,200

Cotillion Stakes at Parx, in a climactic finish to the first Grade 1 event

ever staged in Pennsylvania. The 1 1/16-mile test served up a clash worthy of

the occasion -- a virtual match race, with Eclipse Award implications -- and it

lived up to the advance billing.

The two had met once before, in last November's Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Fillies. Stonestreet Stables and George Bolton's My Miss Aurelia drew off to

wrap up championship honors, while the British-bred Questing checked in fifth in

her U.S. and dirt debut.

Much had changed, however, in the interim. My Miss Aurelia was sidelined by a

shin problem, and the Steve Asmussen trainee captured her belated reappearance

in the August 8 Mandy's Gold Stakes sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga.

Meanwhile, Questing was developing into a phenom over the summer, and stormed

to the top of the three-year-old filly ranks with runaway victories in the Grade

1 Coaching Club American Oaks and Grade 1 Alabama. If the Godolphin filly could

extend her streak in the Cotillion, she would likely have clinched the Eclipse

Award in her division. But last year's champion had something to say about that.

The speedy Questing, sent off as the 2-5 favorite, took up her customary

position on the front end. My Miss Aurelia, the 9-5 second choice, was parked in

a stalking second by Corey Nakatani. Although Questing was setting surprisingly

slow fractions of :25 and :50 with a clear lead, an ice-cool Nakatani was

content to stay right where he was. Moment in Dixie and Dixie Strike rounded out

the quartet, but neither made their presence felt against the two principals.

The undefeated filly surged in the final strides to overtake Questing,

stopping the teletimer in 1:44 2/5 and returning $5.60 and $2.10. There was no

show wagering in the short field.

After a gap of 6 1/2 lengths came Dixie Strike, and another 14 1/2 lengths

adrift was Moment in Dixie.

Now a perfect six-for-six, My Miss Aurelia has bankrolled $2,026,000. The

daughter of Smart Strike broke her maiden at Saratoga, then showed her battling

qualities to best Millionreasonswhy by a neck in the Grade 2 Adirondack. A

commanding 5 1/2-length winner of the Grade 1 Frizette next time, she capped her

season with a three-length decision in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.