Exclusive Scheme continues solid season in Hettinger

Exclusive Scheme doesn’t get as much notoriety as her fellow New York-bred stablemate Chestoria, but she is having just as good - if not better - a season in 2010.

Sling-shotting to the lead under Ramon Dominguez entering the far turn, Exclusive Scheme continued on for a one-length victory over Frivolous Buck in Sunday’s $100,000 John Hettinger Stakes for statebred fillies and mares on the turf. It was a neck back to Akilina in third. You Go West Girl, the 4-5 favorite and defending Hettinger champion, finished a non-threatening fourth.

It was the third win from seven starts this year for Exclusive Scheme, and her second stakes win in her last three tries. On July 31, she upset the William Fasig Stakes at 25-1 - a race in which Chestoria was favored - in front-running fashion.

Sunday, Exclusive Scheme was content to lay second early while Luna Charm raced out to a three-length lead in fractions of 24.50 and 49.78 seconds. Entering the far turn, Exclusive Scheme took charge and was never seriously threatened thereafter. Exclusive Scheme, a 4-year-old daughter of Saarland owned by Paris Hill Thoroughbreds Corp. and trained by Bill Badgett, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.14. She returned $14.60 to win.

“She really has been training very well,” Badgett said. “It was good handicapping on our part to pick this spot. I left the strategy up to Ramon; she’s pretty versatile in that she doesn’t need to be on the lead.”

Badgett will now likely run both Exclusive Scheme and Chestoria in the Ticonderoga at Belmont on Oct. 23.

* Dominguez completed a sweep of the day's two stakes when he guided Our Khrysty ($14.60) to a 4 1/2-length victory in the $70,000 Nellie Bly for fillies and mares.