You noses Carson Hollow in Test

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Bobby Frankel picked up right where he left off last year at Saratoga, sweeping Saturday's Grade 1 Test Stakes with You and Grade 2 Diana with Tates Creek in two heart-palpitating races.

Last year, Frankel won six graded stakes at Saratoga, including three Grade 1's.

One hour after Tates Creek won a head bob over Voodoo Dancer, things got even tighter when You slivered through a narrow opening along the rail and outlasted pace-setting Carson Hollow to win the $250,000 Test by a nostril.

Frankel, who watched both races in the Saratoga racing office, thought he lost the Test and nearly struck a jock agent who had the nerve to call him the winner. Frankel still thought he lost even when the numbers were put up.

"I thought they put the one up," said Frankel, who seemed shocked by You's courageousness.

You broke last under Jerry Bailey, but rushed into contention down the backside when she had to steady and dropped back to last. Bailey got her going and made an inside move to reach contention turning for home. Carson Hollow, under John Velazquez, had gotten loose on the lead in fractions of 21.60 and 44.27 seconds.

In the stretch, Bailey rallied You along the rail, and You and Carson Hollow were inseparable through the final furlong in an unbelievable stretch drive. The difference may have been that You ran with her head down while Carson Hollow had her head up.

"Obviously, she had her head in the right place, and Carson Hollow didn't - it was that close," said Frankel, who trains You for Edmund Gann. "She didn't break as sharp as she usually does. I guess probably because she was coming out of those route races. Down the backside, she ran up in behind some horse and had to steady again. She ran a real courageous race."

You, who now has won four Grade 1 races this year, completed the seven furlongs in 1:22.84 and returned $3.80 to win.

Frankel gave credit to Bailey, who won both stakes for Frankel.

"God bless Jerry Bailey," he said. "I needed him in both those races, and he came through."

It was a crushing defeat for Richard Dutrow, the trainer of Carson Hollow who suffered her first career defeat in five starts.

"I felt like a winner," Dutrow said. "I thought we had a shot to win. But it's Bobby Frankel and Jerry Bailey, what are you gonna do?"