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TAKE CHARGE LADY WINS OVERBROOK SPINSTER
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Take Charge Lady held off You by a head
to repeat as champion of the Grade I Overbrook Spinster
Stakes on at Keeneland on Sunday.
The 4-year-old daughter of Dehere became only the fourth
horse to win the Spinster twice, joining Bornastar (1957,
1958), Susan's Girl (1973, 1975) and Bayakoa (1989, 1990).
Take Charge Lady covered 1 1-8 miles in 1:49.57, .33 seconds
faster than last year. You, trained by Bobby Frankel, finished
second in the Spinster for the second straight year despite
a furious closing rush.
"I wonder if we didn't train her a little bit light
for this race," said Take Charge Lady's trainer, Kenny
McPeek. "She's the kind of filly that takes a light
touch and (jockey) Edgar (Prado) said she got a little
tired the last part."
McPeek said he wanted to ensure Take Charge Lady is ready
for the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Santa Anita in three weeks.
She finished sixth in the Distaff last year. In seven races
since, she has three wins and four seconds.
"This could be ideal, because we really, really made
a point, we didn't want to overtrain her for this race,
because we're coming back in 20 days," McPeek said. "It's
a little tricky. You want to win, but at the same time,
you don't want to sacrifice this race for the next one.
"That's what I was thinking the last eighth of a
mile."
Take Charge Lady, the 1-2 favorite in the six-horse field,
took the lead just after six furlongs and built a 1 1/2-length
lead in the stretch. You, ridden by Jerry Bailey, closed
that gap enough to force a photo finish.
Take Charge Lady, undefeated at Keeneland in five starts,
paid $3, $2.10 and $2.10. You paid $2.20 and $2.10, while
Miss Linda, the 2001 Spinster winner, paid $2.10.
In the Grade II WinStar Galaxy Stakes, Bien Nicole led
from start to finish and beat Approach by 7 1/4 lengths.
Bien Nicole covered 1 3-16 miles on a firm turf course
in 1:55.87.
Jockey Don Pettinger took the 2-1 favorite quickly to
the front of the six-horse field, and Bien Nicole's lead
stretched to as many as 12 lengths. It shrunk briefly to
five lengths in the stretch before Bien Nicole pulled away
once more.
Bien Nicole paid $5, $3.40 and $2.40. Approach paid $6.60
and $3.60, while third-place New Economy paid $3.80 to
show.
By MURRAY EVANS : Associated Press Writer
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