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Dixie distinguishes herself in Chilukki

Distinctive Dixie scored her first win of the year in the Chilukki (Reed Palmer Photography/Churchill Downs) Robert B. and Beverly J. Lewis Trust's DISTINCTIVE DIXIE (Fusaichi Pegasus) grabbed the lead in the stretch of Saturday's $171,900 Chilukki S. (G2) at Churchill Downs and withstood a tenacious Third Dawn (Sky Mesa) and closing Always a Princess (Leroidesanimaux [Brz]) to score a 1 1/2-length victory under jockey Robby Albarado. The Wally Dollace trainee stopped the clock in 1:36 3/5 for one mile on the fast dirt, and paid $16.40, $7.20 and $4.60 as the 7-1 fourth pick. "We have known for a long time she is so special," Dollace said. "She likes this track and trained good over this track before the race. We felt like she was going to run a big race and she did. We are very pleased and very excited about this race. Robby (Albarado) rode a solid race and did a great job. It took us a little bit to get over a couple minor issues and she proved today she is in top form. She is a beautiful filly. It is a big thrill to win this race and we are excited to win on Breeders' Cup day." Distinctive Dixie pressed the early pace while saving ground on the inside, angled out three wide entering the turn and challenged Third Dawn for the lead approaching the stretch. Taking over, the five-year-old mare appeared ready to pull off, but Third Dawn refused to yield while at the same time Always a Princess put in her late run from near the rear of the field. Distinctive Dixie was just a bit more stubborn than either one of those rivals, holding to the wire to capture her first stakes win.

"I had a great trip," Albarado said. "For a second there I got scared going into the turn, I got squeezed back and had to shuffle to the outside and once she got there so content and she came home nice. This is great. I love Churchill Downs and it's nice to do well here."

Third Dawn was 1 3/4 lengths in front of Always a Princess on the wire, returning $9.80 and $4.80 as the 10-1 fifth choice. Always a Princess, the 7-5 favorite, gave back $3, and the exotics were worth $157.40 (exacta), $605.20 (trifecta) and $5,148 (8-9-3-2 superfecta). Bronx City Girl (Yankee Gentleman), Double Espresso (Medaglia d'Oro), First Passage (Giant's Causeway), Emmy Darling (Graeme Hall), Direct Line (Tiznow), Devil by Design (Medaglia d'Oro), Be Fair (Fusaichi Pegasus) and Taste's Sis (Marquetry) completed the order under the wire while Alpha Kitten (Tale of the Cat) was scratched.

Not only was Distinctive Dixie taking her first stakes win, but the bay mare was recording her first win of the year in this spot, having placed in the likes of the Fleur de Lis H. (G2), Bayakoa S. and Shelby County Arts H. in three of her prior five 2010 starts. Also second in the Bayakoa S. last year, she improved her resume to 18-5-6-3, $383,154.

Bred in Kentucky by Mr. and Mrs. Robert David Randal, Distinctive Dixie sold to her current connections as a $215,000 Keeneland September yearling. She is out of A Lady From Dixie (Dixieland Band), who won the 1999 Chula Vista H. (G2) and finished third in the Spinster S. (G1) during her career. That 15-year-old mare is herself a daughter of multiple stakes winner Wicked Witchcraft (Good Behaving), making her a half-sister to 1994 champion older horse The Wicked North (Far North) as well as Grade 2-winning sire Wild and Wicked (Wild Again).

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