Bold Start wins first stakes

Bold Start posted the first stakes victory of his career when pulling away with ease in the $50,000 Don Bernhardt Memorial Stakes at Ellis Park.

Ridden by Larry Melancon, returned $3.40 as the heavy favorite after finishing 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.92 over a fast track. Officer Rocket was second, and True Course was third in a field reduced to five starters following four early scratches.

Bold Start, a 4-year-old Jump Start colt owned by Larry Carroll and trained by Ken McPeek, now has won 7 of 22 overall starts.

The Bernhardt was announced by Keith Nelson, one of a handful of racecallers scheduled to fill in this summer at Ellis following the death of Luke Kruytbosch.