Lucas Downs’ King Mesa
broke in stride to make or force the pace throughout in Monday’s
featured $49,000 allowance affair at Fair Grounds and prevailed by a
head at the wire under strong handling by jockey
Kerwin Clark, who was winning his third race of the day.
Trained by
Michelle Lovell, the
winner accomplished the 1 1/16-mile distance on a race taken off the
grass and run on a main track rated “good” in 1:46.92 after early splits
of 24.72 and 49.05. King Mesa returned $14.80, $6
and $5 and increased his career earnings to $64,803 with his fifth win
in nine lifetime starts.
Rollin Fishback and Charles Logsdon’s
Fist of Rage, always well
placed, gained the advantage in the lane, could not stay with the
winner late but was clearly second best and paid $4 and $3.
Ann and Becky Hayes and Aaron Hachida’s
Lead the Way, who pressed
the pace early, held the third spot at the wire while finishing 2
3/4-lengths behind Fist of Rage and returned $8.40.