Aqueduct: Let Me Entertain U holds on in Beru Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Let Me Entertain U had her backers singing and dancing to the mutuel windows Sunday as she disposed of odds-on favorite Kelli Got Frosty turning for home and then held off a late run from Grand Mere to win the $75,000 Beru Stakes by a neck at Aqueduct.

Grand Mere, running back just three days after winning a starter allowance here, finished second by four lengths over Kelli Got Frosty. Girl Code was fourth.

Jose Ortiz rode Let Me Entertain U, enabling him to tie his brother Irad Ortiz Jr. atop the inner track standings (64 wins apiece) with one week left in the meet. Racing is scheduled to move to the main track March 14.

Let Me Entertain U had finished just a half-length behind Kelli Got Frosty when then two were beaten soundly by Princess of Sylmar in the Busher Stakes here Feb. 2.

Since Kelli Got Frosty was already a two-time stakes winner, she was bet down to 4-5 favoritism. Let Me Entertain U, who had 1 win from five starts, was 2-1.

Ortiz certainly rode as if his instructions were to follow Kelli Got Frosty, ridden by Cornelio Velasquez. When Kelli Got Frosty moved after the pacesetter Horsin’ Around entering the far turn, Ortiz moved Let Me Entertain U with her and poked a head in front at the five-sixteenths pole.

Let Me Entertain U, racing on Lasix for the first time, opened up a clear margin before wandering in the stretch. Ortiz got her mind back on business in time to hold off the hard-charging Grand Mere, who was rolling under Junior Alvarado.

Let Me Entertain U, a daughter of Nobiz Like Shobiz owned and bred by Elizabeth Volando and trained by Tom Albertrani, covered the mile and 70 yards in 1:43.10 and returned $6.10 to win.