Takeover Target Grabs the Dixie Stakes with Late Rush

The Pimlico turf course was labeled “good” for the Longines Dixie Stakes (G2), and that’s exactly how  Takeover Target likes it.  In a perfectly timed ride by Joel Rosario, who was subbing for  Irad Ortiz, Jr.,  the long striding colt ate up ground through the stretch and stole the lead five strides from the wire to win by a narrow half-length.  The Chad Brown trainee is now three for four over courses rated good to yielding.

Making his first start on the lawn,  El Kabeir  quickly sprinted to the lead when the gates opened and took up a 2 ½ length lead, getting his first quarter in first quarter in :23.94.  Grand Arch  held second place by a ½ length on the outside of the eight-year-old veteran Za Approval in third, ½ length in front of Ring Weekend.

The steel gray El Kabeir led the tightly grouped pack through a half mile in :48.56.  Za Aproval and Grand Arch raced as a team, while Ring Weekend, traveling four wide on the turns, shuffled back to sixth, while Takeover Target still lingered at the back of the pack.

By the time they hit the ¾ mark in 1:12.94, El Kabeir started to retreat, as Grand Arch and Za Approval battled for the lead. Into the stretch, it looked like anybody’s race.  Grand Arch turned back Za Approval, only to find Ring Weekend had taken up the fight with Conquest Typhoon in the thick of things, a head back in third. Meanwhile, Takeover Target flew down the center of the course to grab the victory by a short neck over Ring Weekend. The valiant Grand Arch finished a half-length behind in third, beating out Captain Dixie by a head.

Takeover Target paid $9.00/$4.40/$2.80 for the win.  Ring Weekend offered $4.00/$2.80 to place while Grand Arch returned $2.60 as the favorite. The $2 exacta paid $42.00, the $2 trifecta was $80.20 and the $1 superfecta rewarded backers with $$450.40.  Long on Value, Golden Sabre, Force the Pass, Take the Stand (Arg), and Cage Fighter scratched.

The winning time for the $250,000 event was 1:44.76 for 1 1/16 miles. After the race, Joel Rosario stated, “We got a good start and we had a good position. The horse in front of me started to stop and I had to take hold because there was another horse coming up outside of me. He got right back in stride though. He is always close and I knew that he would be today. The turf is fine, just wet from the rain. He had a pretty good trip.”

The good looking bay son of Harlan’s Holiday – Vanquished, by Empire Maker was bred by Dorothy Matz. Takeover Target sold for $175,000 as a Keeneland September Yearling to Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence.  Takeover Target extended his race record to 11-5-2-0 and has earned $795,935.

The Dixie Stakes is the oldest race in Maryland’s History. First contested in 1870 as the Dinner Party Stakes, the inaugural winner’s moniker was Preakness. The Preakness Stakes was named in honor of the horse.