You beats Habibti again

ARCADIA, Calif. - You was officially anointed drama queen of the West Coast 3-year-olds fillies on Saturday with a narrow victory over arch-rival Habibti in the $300,000 , as Bobby Frankel continued his Grade I onslaught.

You's winning margin of a half length, at the end of 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.70, was more conclusive than it looked given her tendencey to idle along in neutral when she reaches the lead.

"She waits," Frankel said as he headed to the track to greet his filly. "Then when that filly got to her hip, she saw her and went on again. She does that every time."

You has done it the last two times, anyway, defeating Habibti by a length in the one-mile Las Virgenes Stakes on Feb. 10 after being headed deep in the stretch. Prior to that, Habibti defeated You by a head in the Hollywood Starlet.

Their rivalry could continue at Churchill Downs on the Day before the Kentucky Derby, in the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Oaks, won last year by the Frankel-trained Flute. Frankel has no doubt that You will be able to get the extra distance.

"She's still growing, still developing," said Frankel, who won the SantaAnita Handicap one week earlier with Milwaukee Brew. "There's still a lot of room to improve."

You was favored at 4-5 and Habibti was 9-5 in the field of nine.

After a clean start, they raced in the middle of the pack as Adoration and Ile de France set a pace of :46.42 to the half. You and Jerry Bailey made the first move, then Habibti and Victor Espinoza gave pursuit.

With a furlong remaining, it appeared as if Habibti was wearing You down, but the favorite surged late to hold Habibti safe. Ile de France held on well to finish third, 1 1/2 lengths behind Habibti and a nose in front of fourth-place Farda Amiga.