Pimlico: Sensible Lady repeats in The Very One

BALTIMORE - For the second straight year, Sensible Lady won the $100,000 The Very One Stakes on the Black-Eyed Susan undercard Friday at sunny Pimlico Race Course.

Sensible Lady, who last year won by two lengths as a 3-year-old beating older opponents, had a little tougher go of It this time around. As is her wont, Sensible Lady dropped off the early pace, but as she was attempting to rally in the stretch, she had to steady and angle out for racing room between rivals to be able to continue her run. But Sensible Lady was determined, and she got up in time to beat Nechez Dawn by a neck.

Nechez Dawn, who proved to be the speed of the speed and set fractions of 22.12 and 44.75 seconds, did not help her cause when she drifted out a bit entering the stretch. But Nechez Dawn fought gamely to be second, finishing a length before big longshot Donna Getyourgun. It was just a head farther back to Nastar Medallist in fourth.

Sweet Cassiopeia, the 2-1 favorite who was in search of her sixth straight victory, was never a serious factor.

Sensible Lady, ridden by Angel Serpa, raced the five furlongs over firm turf in 59.57 seconds and paid $9.20 as the second choice. A Kentucky-bred daughter of Street Sense out of Awesome Lady (by Bianconi), Sensible Lady is trained by Tim Salzman for Three Lyons Racing. Friday’s score improved Sensible Lady’s career record to 8 wins from 16 starts.