NEW YORK -- Buy the Sport returned home from Europe and pulled off a major upset in the $250,000 Gazelle Handicap on Saturday, defeating favored Lady Tak by a half-length with a furious stretch run.
Sent off at odds of 48-1, the New York-bred not only beat Lady Tak but also ran away from two other top 3-year-old fillies, Spoken Fur and Island Fashion.
Under a patient ride by Pat Day, Buy the Sport came flying down the stretch and surprised Lady Tak and jockey Jerry Bailey, catching the 4-5 favorite in the final strides.
Spoken Fur, winner of the Mother Goose and Coaching Club American Oaks, was third, a nose back. Alabama Stakes winner Island Fashion was a distant fourth in the field of eight.
Buy the Sport, trained by Brian Meehan, returned $98, $16.80 and $6.40. Lady Tak returned $3.20 and $2.60 and Spoken Fur showed at $3.30.
Winning time for the 1 1-8 miles was 1:48.57.
Buy the Sport had finished no better than fifth in her last three races in Europe on the turf, and won for just the third time in nine career starts for owner Georgica Stable.
Buy the Sport earned $150,000, boosting her career earnings to $213,645.