On Saturday, Dec. 6, Aqueduct will host the final two qualifying points preps in New York this year for the 2026 Longines Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve – the Demoiselle Stakes and Remsen Stakes, respectively – as part of a marquee racecard that also includes the Cigar Mile Handicap for older horses.

The $250,000 Demoiselle Stakes, held at 1 1/8 miles around two turns, has been an important Oaks prep in recent years. Malathaat won the 2020 Demoiselle, captured the 2021 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, and then trained on to win the 2022 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff in a career that should merit consideration for the Racing Hall of Fame. Nest captured the Demoiselle in 2021, and the next spring she ran second in the Kentucky Oaks and also the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets against males.

Both of those fillies were trained by Todd Pletcher, and the Hall of Famer has a pair of prime contenders in this year’s renewal, which drew a small field of six that is loaded with potential. Zany (#3) and Believable (#6) are owned by Mike Repole, who campaigned Nest, and they’re both well-bred daughters of former Horses of the Year. Zany, an American Pharoah filly, ships up from Florida after one start at Gulfstream Park where she easily defeated four opponents by 6 ½ lengths Nov. 2 in a 6 ½-furlong sprint. She is bred to handle stretching out to two turns and probably will be the post-time favorite in the Demoiselle based on her impressive debut speed figures.

Irad Ortiz Jr., fresh off of a meet title at Churchill Downs, will be aboard Zany and I expect him to rate her off of the early pace and attempt a stalk-and-pounce trip as she tries the longer distance. I’ll use this filly in exotic bets, but I’ll put my chips in on Pletcher’s other entrant, Believable, betting to win and keying her atop exacta tickets. This Curlin filly stumbled at the start of her debut going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct during the Belmont at the Big A meet back in September, yet still prevailed by a nose in a hard-fought effort. She then hesitated slightly at the start of the one-mile Tempted Stakes at the Big A on Nov. 6, raced four-to-five wide on the backstretch trailing the field, and then mustered a sustained rally that could not threaten pacesetting winner Shilling (#2).

While Believable’s speed figures are nothing to shout about, the Demoiselle will only be her third start and she’s bred to relish an extra eighth of a mile and two turns. Furthermore, she’ll add blinkers for this race, which will hopefully help her get off to a better start. There appears to be enough speed lined up in this small field to set up Believable for another rally that will hopefully help her reach the winner’s circle. Hall of Famer John Velazquez, rider of Malathaat, takes the mount for the first time.

With a $30 budget, I’ll put $10 to win on Believable at odds of 5-2 or greater, and use the rest keying her in exactas above Zany and Chilled plus Concurrently (#4), a Chad Brown-trained filly who was runner-up to Believable in the abovementioned maiden race and then won a one-mile maiden at Aqueduct on Nov. 2. Her jockey, Flavien Prat, is winning at a sizzling 38% clip during this race meet.

Betting strategy on a $30 budget:

$10 win on Believable

What to say at the betting window:

Aqueduct, Race 3, $10 win #6

$10 exacta, Believable with Zany

What to say at the betting window:

Aqueduct, Race 3, $10 exacta, #6 with #3

$5 exacta, Believable with Shilling and Concurrently ($10)

What to say at the betting window:

Aqueduct, Race 3, $5 exacta, #6 with #2 and #4