Naught Gal must merely have gotten tired in her career debut, where she did have some late trouble while finishing a fading fourth, because this second race on July 4 at Churchill Downs marked a major step forward for Naughty Gal. She broke third or fourth in an 11-runner field and quickly went up to contest the pace with 2-1 favorite Stunningly, who raced to her inside. The two leaders went head-to-head down the backstretch and partway around the turn, but at the three-furlong marker Naughty Gal asserted, and by the quarter pole she had a clear lead. Her lead change in upper stretch was flawless and under moderate urging the filly drew steadily clear, galloping out with good energy though geared down before getting to the seven-furlong pole around the clubhouse turn.
