Black Ruby wins for the 70th time

STOCKTON, Calif. - World champion mule Black Ruby ($3), facing perhaps the strongest field in her career, broke alertly and scored a wire-to-wire victory in a 350-yard race at the San Joaquin County Fair on Sunday.

She beat Sarah Nelson, a 4-year-old who had won 10 of her 11 starts, by a neck with long-time rival Taz third another three-quarters of a length back.

Black Ruby won her 70th race in 86 starts. She also has 13 seconds and two thirds and has not finished off the board since 1996. Since 1997, she has finished first or second in every start but one where she ran third.

Show wagering was allowed for one of the few times in the past two years on a Black Ruby race, resulting in a $10,851 minus show pool.