Allamerican Bertie roars past favored Take Charge Lady to capture Falls City Handicap.
Pat Day owns Churchill Downs, and the track's all-time leading rider nursed Allamerican Bertie home to upset Take Charge Lady in the Falls City Handicap (gr. III) on Thanksgiving Day.Edgar Prado broke Take Charge Lady on top from the one hole in the six-horse field. But Day took the lead on the backside in the nine-furlong race and then withstood a late charge from Take Charge Lady to take the stakes race.Allamerican Bertie is owned by Louisville residents Bert, Elaine, and Richard Klein and trained by Steve Flint. It was the first Churchill stakes victory for the Kleins and trainer Flint. She ran the distance in 1:49.60. The fractions were :24.09, :48.78, 1:12.64, and 1:36.8. Softly came late to get third.Allamerican Bertie paid $7.20, $3, and $2.10, while heavily favored Take Charge Lady returned $2.60 and $2.10. Softy paid $2.10."It all worked well for us," said Day. "The filly on the fence (Take Charge Lady) outbroke us but we were able to get the lead. Edgar (jockey Prado) breezed off of us and then came back on us in the final three-eighths and we went at it all the way to the wire. I was impressed with her when she broke her maiden at Gulfstream (Feb. 10). I'm very pleased for the Kleins having won their first stakes at Churchill."(Chart, Equibase)
