Aunt Pearl broke from post 5 under Florent Geroux as the 2.60-1 favorite and opened up by three lengths at the beginning of the one-mile event. She ran a :22.55 quarter-mile before slowing down to a half in :47.30 and three-quarters in 1:12.21 with no pressure from nearest challenger Campanelle.
Undeterred by the field chasing her home, Aunt Pearl maintained her advantage all the way to the wire. The final time on the good turf was 1:35.71.
Mother Earth, campaigned by the Coolmore connections, rallied from 12th to finish second at 22.80-1. She bested third-place Miss Amulet by a neck, and Campanelle held fourth.
Aunt Pearl won her debut Sept. 1 at Churchill Downs by five lengths racing at a mile on turf. She then extended out to 1 1/16 miles in the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes Oct. 7 at Keeneland and posted a 2 ½-length victory. All three of her efforts have come on the front end. Aunt Pearl has amassed earnings of $652,784.