Chanel’s Legacy Shakes Clear in $125,000 Dixie Belle Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, AR (Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017) – Chanel’s Legacy, at odds of  5-1, came flying down the lane to win Saturday’s $125,000 Dixie Belle Stakes at Oaklawn before an on-track crowd of 10,000. It was the second Dixie Belle victory for owner Allen Poindexter and trainer Lynn Chleborad since 2013 when American Sugar won the six furlong race.

Jockey Alex Birzer kept Chanel’s Legacy within striking distance from the start and the pair followed in third as Country Candy and 3-5 favorite Vertical Oak battled through fractions of :22 and :45 3/5 for the first half mile. The winner came three wide into the turn and as soon as she hit the stretch, she shook clear of her competition to win by 2 ½ lengths. My Sweet Stella closed from last to get second, a half-length in front of third-place finisher Five Star Factor. The winning time was 1:11 4/5 for six furlongs over a fast track.

The favorite, Vertical Oak, was fourth. She was followed by I Be Jeannie B, Country Candy and No Closure.

“We talked about it this morning and we thought there would be speed,” Chleborad said. “We thought we’d be laying about third, right off of them, pressing the pace if things worked out. But, you never know until they break. I think she could have gone to the lead pretty easy, but she’s got to save her kick for the end. And, that makes her a better horse, when she comes from off the pace and then kick ’em on down the lane.”

Chanel’s Legacy, a 3-year-old homebred daughter of Dominus, has now won half of her six career starts and has earned $159,394. She returned $13.40, $5.20 and $3.20.

Live racing resumes Sunday with a 1:30 p.m. first post.

Dixie Belle Quotes

Winning Owner Allen Poindexter, Chanel’s Legacy: “(Feels) great, especially since I raised her at my house.”

Winning trainer Lynn Chleboard, Chanel’s Legacy: “We talked about it this morning and we thought there would be speed,” Chleborad said. “We thought we’d be laying about third, right off of them, pressing the pace if things worked out. But, you never know until they break. I think she could have gone to the lead pretty easy, but she’s got to save her kick for the end. And, that makes her a better horse, when she comes from off the pace and then kick ’em on down the lane.”

Chleboard said the filly will be pointed toward the $125,000 Martha Washington Stakes Feb. 11 at Oaklawn.

Winning jockey Alex Birzer, Chanel’s Legacy: “You know she ran such a nice race. Lynn and her group did an excellent job prepping her. She relaxed and settled for me real nice and when I asked her around the turn to get a little closer, she just responded. Everything I asked her, she was so push button. It was an easy win.”

Jockey Jon Court, My Sweet Stella, second: “She ran well. She rallied up from behind. I expected her speed to hold up a little more down the backside, but the speed got away. She broke good, but just couldn’t stay with them. She was trying. Took a lot of dirt and she came rallying up there for 2^nd place, so she ran big. Closed on them well.”

Jockey Ramon Vazquez, 3-5 favorite Vertical Oak, fourth: “I just had bad position the entire race. I was never able to her to the outside.”

Source: Oaklawn Park