Melnyk Racing Stables Inc.’s Patience Drive
challenged the pacesetting Age of Humor,
owned by Skychai Racing and Twin Creeks Farm et al., in the vicinity of
the furlong grounds and outgamed that rival the rest of the way to win
Friday’s $51,000
filly and mare allowance/optional claiming feature at Fair Grounds by a
half-length.
The winner, trained by
Malcolm Pierce and ridden by Miguel Mena,
returned mutuels of $9.40, $5.20 and $3.80, toured the 1 1/16 distance
of the race taken off the grass and run on the main track
in 1:45.54 and increased her career earnings to $147,245 with her third
career win in 15 lifetime starts.
Age
of Humor, after setting early fractions of 25.12 and 50.08, paid $8.80
and $6.80 while easily gaining the runner-up spot by 7 3/4-lengths
in front of Crescent City Racing’s Epiphanyfortiffany. That mare was well placed early but had no late rally and paid $8.20 in the show spot.
Racing resumes Saturday at Fair Grounds with a 10-race program featuring the 30th renewal of the $60,000
Dixie Poker Ace Stakes for accredited Louisiana-breds and scheduled for about a mile over the Stall-Wilson turf course. Post time is 12:40 p.m.