Bridgmohan sweeps stakes aboard Hieronymus, Ninety One Assault

It was more workmanlike than brilliant this time, but Hieronymus won another turf race at Fair Grounds.

Hieronymus won a first-level allowance in late December of the Fair Grounds grass course before cruising to a 9 3/4-length victory in the Randy Romero Memorial Overnight Stakes on Feb. 1. A speed-boosting course might’ve helped Hieronymus shine that day as he had to work harder to win the $75,000 Black Gold Stakes by three-quarters of a length Saturday.

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As is his wont, Hieronymus led from start to finish setting splits of 24.16 and 50.42 seconds under Shaun Bridgmohan. He raced greenly through the stretch, zig zagging off a true line, but still found enough to hold clear Pixelate. Godolphin owns the top two finishers. Mike Stidham trains Pixelate while Hieronymus starts for trainer Brad Cox.

Hieronymus ($2.80) covered about 1 1/16 miles over a firm course in 1:45.97. Bodecream finished a half-length behind Pixelate in third, Mishko was fourth, and Jersey Cat Tale walked off the course after being pulled up while getting out badly on the far turn. Kinenos was scratched.

Hieronymus is by Girolamo out of Pamona Ball, by Pleasantly Perfect, and is a potential runner in turf stakes races at Keeneland and Churchill this spring.

Ninety One Assault much best in Dixie Poker Ace

Ninety One Assault pounced on pacesetting Shang at the furlong grounds and rolled to a sharp victory in the $60,000 Dixie Poker Ace, a one-mile grass race for older Louisiana-breds. Shaun Bridgmohan rode the winner, sweeping the two turf stakes on the Saturday card, for trainer Tom Morley, who co-owns Ninety One Assault with Paul Braverman.

Ninety One Assault won the Louisiana Champions Day Turf and a high-level, open allowance race earlier this meet and really has thrived on the Fair Grounds grass course, where his record now stands at 6-1-2 from nine starts.

Ninety One Assault ($4.80) raced closer to the lead than usual, sitting just of the leaders on the outside, because Shang set such a measured pace. In the Navy attacked him around the far turn but couldn’t push past, and both horses were sitting ducks for Ninety One Assault’s late attack. Shang held second while In the Navy chugged home third.

Ninety One Assault is a 7-year-old gelding by Artie Schiller out of Lilly Ladue, by Chief Three Sox.