SARATOGA SPRINGS – The last time the two 3-year-old fillies met, in the Acorn Stakes at Belmont in June, Bird Town flew home on the front end and Lady Tak couldn’t get to her late, losing by a head.
Yesterday, in their rematch in the Grade 1, $250,000 Test Stakes, Lady Tak didn’t wait to make her move, and it paid off. Zooming up the rail under Jerry Bailey, Lady Tak blew past front-running Molto Vita and left the field in her dust, beating 8-5 favorite Bird Town by a much-the-best 4? lengths, with House Party third.
Lady Tak ran the six furlongs in a startling 1:08.1 and completed seven panels in 1:20.4, a stakes record and just a tick off the track mark.
Lady Tak paid $6, keying a $14.40 exacta.