by Paul Ramlow, USTA Internet News Manager

Lexington, KY — Strike An Attitude was a last-to-first winner in the $117,000 opening division of the International Stallion Stake for 2-year-old filly pacers on Friday afternoon (Oct. 22) at The Red Mile.

Nigel Soult photo

Strike An Attitude was a 1:52.2 winner for John Campbell.

John Campbell was in the bike for trainer Bob McIntosh as the Western Hanover-Strike A Balance lass won for the sixth time in 13 trips behind the gate. Her share of the purse lifted her bankroll to $450,734 for owners Robert McIntosh Stables, Paul Ysebaert and C S X Stables.

Southwind Jazmin and Jim Morrill, Jr. set the early pace, taking the field to the quarter in :28.1. Just before the half, however, Southwind Jazmin put in a couple of bad steps and had to take to the outside, allowing Shy Away and Brian Sears to take over the front in a :55.1 half. This duo was still on top at the 1:23.2 three-quarter station.

Down the stretch pacers were coming from everywhere and Campell and Strike An Attitude were moving the fastest of all. She charged down the far outside of the track and reached the wire first by 4-1/4 lengths in 1:52.2. Southwind Jazmin regained her composure and rallied to finish second while Honky Tonk Woman and David Miller were third.

“We didn’t want to get tied up in an early speed duel,” said Bob McIntosh of the filly’s trip from post 10. “She’s just like a little sports car, she can really turn it on. With John driving I don’t really worry that much.

“She’s out of a full sister to Artiscape. This reminded me of his race here as a 2-year-old.”

Nigel Soult photo

So Perfect lived up to her name in winning the second division in 1:51.3.

In the $117,000 second division, Brittany Farms’ homebred So Perfect circled pacers on the final turn and drew off by open lengths to score in a lifetime best 1:51.3 clocking. Yannnick Gingras piloted the Jimmy Takter trainee to her third win in 12 lifetime starts. So Perfect saw her bankroll climb to $268,706 with the victory.

Ms Malicious fired out of the gate from post position 10 and was on the front end at the opening panel in :26.3. She yielded to Show And Tell at the :54.4 half and the new leader was still in front at the 1:24.1 three-quarter pole.

But on the final turn Gingras moved So Perfect into contention and she blew by her opponents like they were standing still. She reached the finish line in 1:51.3, taking a full three seconds off her lifetime mark. Whats New Pussycat (John Campbell) also rallied for second, three lengths behind the winner, while All Tucked Up (Jody Jamieson) was third.

After making breaks in her two most recent efforts, trainer Jimmy Takter made some changes and had So Perfect ready for this race.

“She had a couple of issues that we had to deal with this week and it looks like we straightened them out,” Takter said. “The trip worked out good and she had plenty of pace home.”