Lexie Lou surges to victory in Autumn Miss Stakes

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Arcadia, CA (SportsNetwork.com) – Queen’s Plate winner Lexie Lou made a rare start on the turf Saturday and found it much to her liking with a solid win in the $100,000 Autumn Miss Stakes at Santa Anita.

Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Corey Nakatani, Lexie Lou was sent off as the 3-1 co-favorite along with Diversy Harbor and Alexis Tangier.

Lexie Lou, making her first start at a mile and away from Woodbine, raced off the pace in sixth in the 10-horse field of 3-year-old fillies. Setting the pace was 9-2 fourth pick Zindaya.

Lexie Lou gained ground on the final turn and into the stretch. The Canadian- bred surged down the middle of the turf course and posted a 1 1/4-length win over Diversy Harbor and Zindaya. Sheza Smoke Show got fourth.

“We got a firm course today and she loved it,” owner Gary Barber said. “She proved she can win in open company and I’ll put her against open 3-year-olds right now on grass.

“With the exception of Untapable, I think she can run with anyone. We don’t have her schedule planned out yet, but we’ll keep her here for the winter and take her back to Woodbine in April.”

Completing the order of finish were Thegirlinthatsong, Tiz Kissable, Famous Alice, Alexis Tangier, On the Backstreets and Wonderfully.

The time for the Autumn Miss on a firm turf course was 1:33.70.

Lexie Lou added $60,000 to her earnings which now total $1,369,714. She’s won seven of 15 career starts.

The filly followed her win in the 1 1/4-mile Queen’s Plate with a 1 1/4-mile turf score in the Wonder Where Stakes at Woodbine on Aug. 10. She won the Woodbine Oaks on June 15 which snapped a three-race losing streak. Lexie Lou was a distant last as the 3-2 favorite in Woodbine’s Canadian Stakes on Sept. 14.

“Last time (10th in the Canadian Stakes) she didn’t like to soft going. We actually thought about not running because of it,” Barber noted.

Lexie Lou paid $8.40, $4.60 and $3.60. Diversy Harbor returned $4.00 and $3.00, and Zindaya paid $5.00 to show.

Categorized in: Horses

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