Derby City Distaff Form On Display In Chicago Stakes

[Wandering Eyes]

The form of the GI Derby City Distaff has already been franked on a couple of occasions over the last several weeks, and a pair of also-rans from the Derby undercard contest will look to further flatter the race when they square off in the GII Chicago Stakes beneath the Saturday night lights on the 'Downs After Dark' program in Louisville.

Stonestreet Stables' Emery (More Than Ready) won four of her five starts at three last season, including a two-length defeat of My Mane Squeeze (Audible) in Keeneland's GII Raven Run Stakes going seven furlongs, but she has yet to find the winning thread in 2025. Runner-up at even-money in both the GII Inside Information Stakes in January and in the GI Madison Stakes Apr. 8, she sat a four-wide drip from a wide-ish draw in the Derby City Distaff and was beaten nearly 10 lengths into fifth. Florent Geroux rides from the one hole on Saturday.

Vahva (Gun Runner) made last year's Derby City Distaff her first elite-level conquest and followed up with a smooth success at long odds-on in this event. It's been tougher sailing in three appearances since, however, and she will need to take a sizable step forward after finishing seventh in defense of her Derby City Distaff seven weeks ago.

Derby City Distaff third 'TDN Rising Star' Ways and Means (Practical Joke) returned to dominate the June 6 GII Bed O'Roses Stakes at Saratoga (111 Beyer) while the ninth-placed Mystic Lake (Mo Town) validated 3-5 favoritism in the Memorial Day Sprint at Lone Star on May 26.

For her part, My Mane Squeeze gave Derby Day a pass and instead made her most recent appearance in the one-mile GII Ruffian Stakes at Aqueduct on May 10. Narrowly in front to the eighth pole, she weakened slightly to be third as the 13-10 pick.

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