Please Take Me Out Holds On in Miss Grillo

(from Belmont report)
Please Take Me Out set the pace and held off Bobbie Use in the final strides to win the $84,400 Miss Grillo Stakes on closing day Sunday at Belmont Park.

Racing in New York resumes at Aqueduct Race Track on Wednesday.

Please Take Me Out, under Aaron Gryder, burst from the No. 7 post position and set all the fractions – :24 3/5, :50, 1:15 and 1:38 2/5 – in the 1 1/8-mile turf race for 11 juvenile fillies. She won in 1:50 3/5 as a 13-1 shot.

"She did everything right," Gryder said. "She settled and was relaxed down the backside. I knew I had horse, I was just hoping it was enough. She had a good turn of foot."

Bobbie Use closed under Jorge Chavez, but she was a head short. Lucifer's Stone and Mike Luzzi finished third.

Please Take Me Out, a Kentucky-bred dark bay filly by Take Me Out, earned $50,640 for owner-breeder Robert Perez. She is now 2-1-1 from six starts with career earnings of $93,190. She broke her maiden on Sept. 11 in a one-mile turf race at Belmont, then got beat by 24 lengths in the Frizette (gr. 1) on Oct. 4 before winning the Miss Grillo.

"We knew she had a lot of talent on the turf," said owner Perez. "Last time, she got a little bit tired in the (Frizette). Our intention was to go to California (for the Breeders' Cup), but she ran too bad in the Frizette and we thought this was a more logical spot."

Saree, the 5-2 favorite, finished sixth. "She didn't break well and gave them a five or six-length head start," said trainer Mark Casse. "There was no pace in the race and the winner led all the way."

Please Take Me Out paid $28, $13.20 and $9.80. Bobbie Use returned $9.70 and $6.90/ Lucifier's Stone's show was $5.10.

(Chart, Equibase)