She Is Tosho captures Centaur

The locally trained She Is Tosho proved too tough for Takeover Target at Chukyo on Sunday as she sped to a 3-length victory over the Australian invader in the $1 million Grade 2 Centaur Stakes.

Depite breaking widest off all from post 18, the 3.40-1 favorite She Is Tosho powered to victory under Kenichi Ikezoe, getting the 6 furlongs in 1:08.60, well short of the track record of 1:06.70 she had set when winning the Grade 3 CBC Sho here on June 11. The second choice at 4.30-1, Takeover Target's second-place finish enables him to maintain a healthy lead in the Global Sprint Challenge, of which the Centaur is the fifth leg, by dint of his victories in Flemington's Lightning Stakes and Royal Ascot's King's Stand Stakes. The exacta with the first two favorites paid a generous $49.40.

She Is Tosho and Takeover Target could meet again in the 6-furlong Grade 1 Sprinters Stakes at Tokyo on Oct. 1.