Lexie Lou Shows Old Spark in Autumn Miss Win

Queen's Plate winner Lexie Lou won her first start outside Canada with an eye-catching burst of speed in the drive to take the $100,000 Autumn Miss Stakes (gr. IIIT) Oct. 25 over the Santa Anita Park turf .



With Corey Nakatani aboard, Lexie Lou swept past pacesetter Zindaya in deep stretch to win comfortably by 1 1/4 lengths over the late-running Diversy Harbor in a sharp time of 1:33.70 for the one-mile distance on firm going. New York shipper Zindaya, who set a hot pace (:23.24, :46.22, 1:09.96) and took a two-length lead into the stretch, settled for third in the field of 10 sophomore fillies.



Sent off as the slight 3-1 choice, Lexie Lou atoned for her last-place finish as the 3-2 favorite in the Canadian Stakes (Can-IIT) at Woodbine Sept. 14 in her first try against older fillies and mares. In the Autumn Miss, she was cutting back in distance to one mile for the first time.

Owned by Gary Barber and trained by Mark Casse, the classy Sligo Bay   lass earned her first graded stakes win following three consecutive Canadian 3-year-old classic triumphs this spring and summer in the Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser, the Queen's Plate over males, and the Wonder Where Stakes, her turf debut.



A jubilant Barber, who purchased Lexie Lou privately this spring, said after the race that he intends to race Lexie Lou in Southern California during the upcoming winter.

Nakatani said he had spoken to Barber about possibly riding Lexie Lou in the Queen's Plate in July, but Barber and Casse retained regular rider Patrick Husbands instead.

"She's definitely a grade I filly and we'll see where she goes from here," Nakatani said after riding her for the first time. "She loves to win, she's got a high cruising speed and she's tactical.



"There were some questions going into this race. They felt she might not have handled the softer turf up in Canada (in the Canadian) as well as she would handle this turf. They felt the tighter turf course here could help her and it sure did."

Paradox Farm bred the winner in Ontario out of the winning In Excess mare Oneexcessivenite.



Nakatani settled Lexie Lou toward the inside in the back half of the field as Regis Racing's Zindaya, also making her Southern California debut for trainer Christophe Clement, overtook Sheza Smoke Show for the early lead. While unfurling swift early fractions, Zindaya appeared well within herself for Brice Blanc and looked as though she was going to be tough to collar as she straightened away for the drive after being chased by Sheza Smoke Show and Famous Alice.



But Nakatani, who had angled Lexie Lou out for the drive as they made their way through the final turn, called on his charge for more. She responded powerfully, shooting past Zindaya en route to victory as Diversy Harbor and Mike Smith chased her home.



Glen Hill Farm's Diversy Harbor, in her first start in more than two months, rallied from ninth at the quarter pole and finished with a flourish as well, half a length in front of Zindaya. The latter filly was making her stakes debut and initial start around two turns after back-to-back wins in New York.

"Corey had a better trip than us today. That was the difference, the trip," Smith said. "With a better trip, and the rail down (it was set at 24 feet), I'll have a much bigger chance."



The victory was worth $8.40, $4.60, and $3.60 across the board to Lexie Lou's backers. Diversy Harbor, also off at 3-1 odds, returned $4 and $3 while completing a $33.60 exacta. Zindaya paid $5 to show.



Sheza Smoke Show ran fourth, followed by Thegirlinthatsong, Tiz Kissable, Famous Alice, second choice Alexis Tangier, On the Backstreets, and Wonderfully, the Irish filly ridden by 60-year-old Perry Ouzts.



Lexie Lou posted her fourth win of the year from seven starts. Her career line stands at 7-2-2 in 15 outings with earnings of $1,369,714.



She previously ran for owner/trainer John Ross, earning $310,244 as a 2-year-old with three victories in eight starts. A $5,577 purchase by Ross at the 2012 Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Ontario Division) Canadian-bred yearling sale, she was sold to Barber after her first start this year.

"She proved she can win in open company and I'll put her against open 3-year-olds right now on grass," Barber said. "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."