The biggest challenge trainer Brendan Walsh now faces when it comes to his dazzling 2-year-old filly Emphatic is how high he should aim for her next time out.

The daughter of Nyquist, a $250,000 yearling purchase, made short work of eight other 2-year-old fillies by drawing off to a 5¼-length win – doing so under wraps – in Saturday’s $100,000 Sorority Stakes at Monmouth Park.

That win followed up a 6¾-length win in her debut at Colonia Downs on July 25.

“She couldn’t have been more impressive,” said Walsh. “I thought she had a great trip even though she got hung a little wide early on. But she had a nice smooth trip after that. I liked the way she cruised around there and then picked it up again in the stretch. It looks like she could be a pretty nice filly.

“I think we have to try (graded stakes company next) with a 2-year-old that is 2-for-2 and has done it the way she has. You have to give her a chance. She’s a stakes winner now so the pressure is off to an extent. So we’ll probably take a graded stakes shot with her.

“I want to see how she comes back from this since she had to ship again and then I’ll talk to the owners and we will make a decision about what is next for her.”

Trying two turns for the first time, Emphatic was eager to go early for jockey Edwin Gonzalez, stalking early leaders Space for Grace and Witchy Vibes through a half mile in :47.74 after going wide on the first turn.

Racing outside of those two, Emphatic zipped past both easily entering the final turn.

“I didn’t want to be that close early because I wanted to save ground around the first turn and we were a little wide but the position was perfect,” said Gonzalez. “She broke running. I didn’t want to be near the lead because there was a lot of speed in the race. But she was relaxed. I was waiting for her to let me know when she wanted to go and she did that when she took off for the lead after the half.

“I was following (Witchy Vibes) and when she wanted to go she just went by all of them. She did it by herself. I really didn’t have to ask much of her.”

Spectacular Sam rallied for second, 1½ lengths ahead of Revenge of the Sis.

Owned by Gainesway Stable and Andrew Rosen, the Pennsylvania-bred Emphatic paid $5.00 to win as the favorite.

The winning time was 1:36.71.

“She was sharp,” said Walsh. “She showed speed her first race so I wasn’t surprised that she was right up with the early speed. She’s shown us plenty from the start. She’s a Pennsylvanian bred so we decided to try her in Virginia first time out instead of Ellis. So we decided to ship her out of state. I think it has proven to be the right thing right now.”