Distinctive Dixie Wins Friday Feature; Rachel Alexandra 3-2 in Early Preakness Betting

May 15, 2009 Darren Rogers

Distinctive Dixie, ridden by Jesus Castanon, didn’t disappoint as the odds-on 3-5 favorite in Friday’s $51,840 allowance feature at Churchill Downs. The 4-year-old filly trained by Wally Dollase led every step of the way and turned back a late charge from Ms. Margaret H. to win the one-mile test for fillies and mares by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:35.75.

         
A Kentucky-bred daughter of 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, Distinctive Dixie paid $3.40, $2.20 and $2.10. Ms. Margaret H. paid $2.60 and $2.20. Nursery Rhyme finished third, another 4 ¼ lengths behind the runner-up, and returned $2.40. Extra Innings and Wisconsin Girl completed the order of finish. Quick Notice and She’s Due were late scratches.

 Distinctive Dixie clicked off fractions of :23.26 for the first quarter-mile, :46.52 for the half and 1:10.84 for six furlongs. She repulsed a bid by Nursery Rhyme at the head of the stretch and then drew clear to hold off Ms. Margaret H., who rallied from last in the field of five.

Distinctive Dixie won for the third time in 10 starts and earned $32,105 to pad her bankroll to $151,455 for the Robert B. and Beverly J. Lewis Trust.

Earlier on the 10-race program, 22-year-old jockey Miguel Mena won four races: the first race aboard Star Over Malibu ($5.20), the third on Stormin Yank ($6.20), the sixth with Final Copy ($3.60) and the seventh aboard Escrow ($3.80).

Live racing at Churchill Downs continues Saturday with an 11-race program, topped by the eighth running of the $100,000-added Matt Winn for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs. Also, Churchill Downs will simulcast the $1.1 million Preakness Stakes – an unprecedented Preakness showdown between Kentucky Derby champ Mine That Bird and Kentucky Oaks winner Rachel Alexandra – from Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course immediately after the final live race at approximately 6:15 p.m. ET.

Preakness odds as of 6 p.m. ET on Friday (from the rail out): Big Drama, 10-1; Mine That Bird, 7-1; Musket Man, 17-1; Luv Gov, 25-1; Friesan Fire, 9-1; Terrain, 24-1; Papa Clem, 14-1; General Quarters, 17-1; Pioneerof the Nile, 7-1; Flying Private, 25-1; Take the Points, 14-1; Tone It Down, 19-1; and Rachel Alexandra, 3-2.

-- 30 --