7th-BEL, $77,000, Alw, NW1X, 3yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:36, ft.
MOMENT IN DIXIE (f, 3, Dixieland Band--Ellie's Moment {SW & MGSP, $291,241}, by Kris S.), a half-sister to Awesome Bet (Awesome Again), SW & GSP, $242,777, was a 20-1 shot when she aired by 4 1/2 lengths in a six-furlong Belmont maiden Apr. 29, but left the gate here as the 6-5 choice. The Phillips homebred showed good speed from the break and raced up under Corey Nakatani to set honest splits of :23 1/5, :46 2/5 and 1:10 4/5. Longshot Resonating (Smart Strike), like Moment in Dixie a first-out winner going six panels at Belmont, came through an opening along the inside in upper stretch, then switched wide to challenge in earnest at the furlong grounds. Moment in Dixie drifted out a bit, forcing Resonating wider yet, but straightened out in the final sixteenth and finished up a length to the good of Resonating. Second-choice Draw It (Tapit), making her first start since running second to Awesome Feather (Awesome of Course) in the GI Gazelle S. at Aqueduct Nov. 26, was very wide into the lane and could do no better than third. Moment in Dixie's dam is a 3/4-sister to MGISW and leading Japanese sire Brian's Time (Roberto). Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $88,200. Click for the brisnet.com chart. Video, sponsored by Taylor Made Sales.
O/B-Phillips Racing Partnership (KY). T-James J Toner.