Believe You Can set most of the pace and drew clear down the stretch to win Saturday's $150,000 New Orleans Ladies Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course.

Trained by Larry Jones, Believe You Can was sent off as the 1-20 favorite in the 1 1/16-mile stakes. Ridden by Rosie Napravnik, the 4-year-old filly toyed with her five rivals and easily registered a 5 3/4-length victory.

Believe You Can, owned by Brereton Jones, stopped the timer at 1:44.48 on a fast track.

"Our main objective with her this year is the Breeders' Cup (Ladies' Classic)," said Jones after the race. "We want to get her on a championship kick. We missed it last year when she went off form during the summer and we had to stop on her. We won't get aggressive with her until later in the summer but in the meantime a race like the La Troienne at Churchill might be a next logical spot for her."

Believe You Can in 2012 won the Fair Grounds and Kentucky Oaks. Last month the filly began her 2013 season with a 10 1/4-length win in the $100,000 Tiffany Lass Stakes at Fair Grounds.

The New Orleans Ladies win was her eighth in 12 career starts for $1,239,484.

"I can't wait until she's running in a graded stake and we can see how good she's going to be for her 4-year-old year," said Napravnik. "She's done everything right this year and, in both races, I wrapped up in the last sixteenth, but she did it even easier this time."

Believe You Can returned $2.10, $2.10 and $2.10. Imposing Grace paid $3.00 and $2.10, and Young and Lovely paid $2.60 to show.