C.S. Incharge wins Suncoast Stakes to become Kentucky Oaks prospect

OLDSMAR, Fla. – C.S. Incharge put herself on the road to the Kentucky Oaks when holding off the favored Daisy in the 38th running of the $100,000 Suncoast Stakes, the first of four Saturday stakes on Festival Preview Day at Tampa Bay Downs.

Kept just off the early pace in the 1 1/16-mile Suncoast by Joel Rosario, C.S. Incharge took over from longshot So Refined at the furlong pole and had enough left to finish three-quarters of a length ahead of Daisy, the 11-10 choice in a field of six 3-year-old fillies.

“She’s cut out to be a nice filly,” said Dale Romans, who trains C.S. Incharge for her breeders, William Pacella, Frank L. Jones Jr., and Frank Shoop. “We thought this was a good spot for her. We’ll take her back to Gulfstream and think about a race for her between now and the Ashland [on April 7 at Keeneland], then hopefully on to the Oaks."

C.S. Incharge earned 10 points toward the May 4 Kentucky Oaks.

C.S. Incharge, by Take Charge Indy and out of C.S. Royce, took five starts to win a maiden race, doing so last month at Gulfstream. She is the third foal to race out of her dam, following Sweeping Paddy, a Grade 3 winner, and Cherry Wine, the 2016 Preakness runner-up.

C.S. Incharge returned $17.60 after finishing in 1:41.40 over a fast track. She was given a 68 Beyer Speed Figure.

Daisy, the winner of the Tempted at Aqueduct in November, raced in midpack most of the way, and it appeared on the far turn that she might not get anything. But she regrouped herself and came running under John Velazquez, finishing 1 1/2 lengths before Mihrab, with So Refined fading to fourth.

The $2 exacta (1-8) paid $55.60, the $1 trifecta (1-8-6) returned $124.10, and the 10-cent superfecta (1-8-6-7) was worth $45.65.