by Mike Curry

Bayou’s Lassie battled back gamely after she was challenged by champion Dreaming of Anna in the stretch and shook free to a 1 1/4-length win in the $169,050 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G1) on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Dale Romans for owner-breeder Jacks or Better Farm, the five-year-old Outflanker mare entered off a two-length victory in the L and D Farm Turf Distaff Stakes on April 5 at Tampa Bay Downs for previous trainer Christophe Clement.

“The owner just wanted to race her in Kentucky, so he sent her to me,” Romans said. “She was in great shape, Christophe’s crew did a great job with her. She was in good shape when we got her, all we had to do was keep her tuned up and she was ready to roll.”

Bayou’s Lassie sprinted out of the gate under Edgar Prado and seized command after a brief duel with 7-to-5 favorite Dreaming of Anna. She opened a clear lead on the backstretch through an opening quarter in :24.44 and a half-mile in :48.12 in the one-mile turf race.

Dreaming of Anna, champion two-year-old filly of 2006, settled into stalking position under jockey Cornelio Velasquez and moved up to challenge Bayou’s Lassie leaving the turn. Dreaming of Anna accelerated to a short lead, but Bayou’s Lassie battled back on the inside and put away that challenger in the final strides.

“I had a lot of horse, I thought,” Velasquez said. “I was in good position and in the final quarter, I asked her and she put her head in front of the other filly. But at the sixteenth pole, I think the weight got to her. She was carrying a lot of pounds.”

Dreaming of Anna, who carried 124 pounds and conceded six pounds to the victor, was 2 1/2 lengths clear of third-place finisher Ventura.

Bayou’s Lassie won the 2006 Frances A. Genter Stakes (G3) and the '07 Stage Door Betty Handicap (G3) at Calder Race Course. She improved to nine wins in 16 starts and boosted her earnings to $647,245.

A half sister to Grade 1 winner Midas Eyes, Bayou’s Lassie is out of stakes winner Bayou Plans, by Bayou Hebert.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Mike Curry is Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor