Taketheodds gets up for first stakes win in Sugar Maple

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Despite racing wide on both turns of the $150,000 Sugar Maple Stakes, Taketheodds dug in through the stretch under jockey Mike Smith and was up by a neck to deny Flattering Bea a repeat victory in the seven-furlong race for fillies and mares.

The Sugar Maple was the first stakes victory for Taketheodds, a 4-year-old Street Sense filly trained by Ian Wilkes. She had finished third in her last out behind Nesso, the 2-1 Sugar Maple favorite, in an allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs.

Flattering Bea sprinted clear early in the Sugar Maple, turned back a bid from Printasticat on the second turn, and drew clear again. She appeared a winner in midstretch, but Taketheodds persevered and was up for the win in deep stretch.

It was five lengths back from Flattering Bea to Nesso in third. Taketheodds paid $9.60 to win as third choice in the seven-horse field. She was timed in 1:24.61.