(June 17, 2005) - Charming Socialite, ridden by Larry Taylor, settled nicely off the pace and rallied in the stretch to defeat Agrivating General by one length in Friday's $40,000 Gold Nugget Stakes at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. As of 11 p.m., more than 20,000 fans - the largest crowd of the meet - were estimated to be in attendance for a 10-race live program and a post-race concert by popular country-rockers Cross Canadian Ragweed.

Charming Socialite, trained by Bill Pettit, who co-owns the horse with Paul Sutton, ran 7 ½ furlongs on a firm turf course in 1:30.74. He paid $10.20 to win as the 4-1 third wagering choice.

"I figured if he could settle early, we'd have a shot," Taylor said. "When I asked him to run, he took right off. The race set up perfectly for him."

For Charming Socialite, it was his seventh victory - and fourth stakes win - in 26 career starts. The $24,000 winner's share of the purse boosted his career bankroll to $206,260. The 4-year-old Texas-bred Sunny's Halo gelding is best known for upsetting top sprinter Bwana Charlie last fall at Lone Star in the Alysheba Breeders' Cup.

Pettit suggested that Charming Socialite could resurface July 9 for a stakes race on the fifth annual Stars of Texas program.