Hot Dixie Chick stars in Schuylerville

Grace Stables' HOT DIXIE CHICK (Dixie Union) stamped herself as a star in the

making with a smashing 6 1/4-length victory in Wednesday's $111,000

Schuylerville S. (G3) at Saratoga. Fresh off a track record-setting

performance in a maiden special weight event at Churchill Downs, the Steve

Asmussen-trained juvenile filly broke sharply from the rail, but was content to

closely track early splits of :22 and :45 2/5 over the good track before

asserting herself at the top of the stretch. The dark brown lass appeared to be

facing a stiff challenge from the rapidly advancing Beautician (Dehere) as they

exited the far turn, but she quickly spurted clear beneath a confident Robby

Albarado, passing the eighth-pole with a four-length advantage in :57 2/5 as she

continued to widen the gap on the way to the wire.

Hot Dixie Chick completed six furlongs in 1:10, giving Asmussen and Albarado

their second straight Schuylerville following the success of Padua Stables'

Jardin (Montbrook) last year.

"(Hot Dixie Chick) was running so fast the last time (:56.48 in her June 13

maiden win) it was good to see Robby have the confidence to let that other filly

(pacesetter Stormandaprayer [Songandaprayer]) go," Asmussen said. "She broke

well and he took her in hand. We had high hopes coming off what she did last

time, but I need to see her do it."

"I had a great trip, actually," Albarado commented. "She broke really well,

put herself forwardly placed, which I anticipated, and then she rated off those

horses nicely. She's a nice filly -- very smart."

Favored at 8-5 in the opening-day feature, the promising youngster returned

$5.30, $3.70 and $2.90 to her backers. Beautician, a good-looking debut winner

in her only previous start, was clearly second best as the near 4-1 second

choice, finishing 6 3/4 lengths clear of third-placer Cowgirl Mally (Gone West).

"She was handy and had a winning move around the far turn, but Hot Dixie

Chick was just too good today," said Kent Desormeaux, rider of Beautician. "When

I let my horse go, I thought I was sitting on a winner. At the quarter pole, I

thought we had her, but Hot Dixie Chick had too much left."

The runner-up paid $4.60 and $3.40, and the late-running Cowgirl Mally was

good for $4.40 at 6-1. It was another 2 1/4 lengths back to Stormandaprayer, who

held for fourth at 39-1. The exotics totaled $22.60 (exacta), $89.50 (trifecta)

and $1,480 (1-10-3-12 superfecta). Wild Without Wine (Kela), Decelerator (Dehere),

Vivid Colors (Roman Ruler), That's How I Roll (Speightstown) and Kinsolving

(Posse) rounded out the order of finish. Aegean (Northern Afleet), Franny Freud

(Freud), Sassy Image (Broken Vow) and So N So (Freud) were all scratched.

Bred in Kentucky by Santa Rosa Partners, Hot Dixie Chick sold for $340,000 as

a 2008 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga August yearling and was purchased by her current

connections for $435,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Florida February two-year-old sale.

She's out of Grade 3 winner and 2001 Prioress S. (G1) runner-up Above Perfection

(In Excess [Ire]) and counts a yearling filly by Speightstown and a 2009 colt by

Hard Spun as half-siblings.

"When asked about future engagements, Asmussen said, "We'll check with

(owner) Barbara (Banke, wife of Jess Jackson). If we come out of the race well,

the Spinaway (G1) (at seven furlongs on September 6) will be a target for her."