JENDEN Strike was expected to put the field to the sword in Sunday's feature Western Districts Derby (2,120 metres) at Dubbo and while Chris Frisby's filly got the job done she didn't have it all her own way.
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The odds-on favourite and last preparation Group 2 champion Jenden Strike ($1.80, Anthony Frisby) was pushed all the way to the finish by Greg Pay's home city hope Bid For Stardom ($15, James Sutton).
But the only girl in the race showed the boys how it's done as she muscled home to win by 2.5m in a mile rate of 1:58.8.
Chris Frisby said it's always impressive to see a filly take down three-year-old colts and geldings in the way she did.
"It's hard when you're racing against those sorts of derby-grade horses. When you're racing against colts with a filly it's a big ask so I was rapt with her," he said.
"She's gone two from two now since coming back and we're really happy with how she's going."
Jenden Strike watched on from the second row during a frantic battle for the early lead in Sunday's race.
Mat Rue appeared to have gained the lead on Beast Mode from gate three before Kalypso King kicked along the inside to hold him out.
Pat McGarry was urged forward from gate four to take the death seat but he wouldn't hold that spot for long as more moves came from the rear of the field.
Bid For Stardom raced from the back with urgency to take that position, with Jenden Strike in tow.
Frisby didn't quite latch onto the back of Bid For Stardom in the three-wide move, leaving the filly battling the breeze for half a lap.
But once Jenden Strike reached the front of the field she looked like she still had plenty to offer over the closing laps.
Jenden Strike gained a one length lead over Bid For Stardom and Bernie Hewitt's The Mustang (Doug Hewitt), who was pulled out three wide to mount a chase.
Saint Emilion (Steve Turnbull) was the best of the rest and the only realistic remaining challenger as the field straightened for home.
Bid For Stardom looked to be battling a little when Sutton had started working him early but the gelding responded well to the call and refused to drop out of the hunt.
He managed to stay within a length of the leader but Jenden Strike had the pace to stay clear.
The Mustang ($5.50) rounded out the top three.
Chris Frisby said once his filly hit the front he had confidence.
"I was happy when he gave her a nice run through to lead. She didn't have to do too much work but she needed to do a little early on when three wide for the first lap," he said.
"I thought it was a good run by the horse in second. Both of Bernie Hewitt's horses [The Mustang and Rock Fisherman] are nice horses and so is the one Steve drove."
The Frisby stable have the Breeders Challenge semi-finals as their next major goal for the star filly.
They have just the one runner entered at Wednesday night's home meeting at Bathurst Paceway, where Aunty Bella races out of gate four in the Garrards Horse & Hound Pace (1,730m).
The meeting starts from 5.42pm.