Buzzards Bay by a nose in Golden Gate Derby

Jockey Mark Guidry approached Saturday's $100,000 at Golden Gate Fields as if it were a match race, and the strategy paid off as Buzzards Bay ($5) held off Sharp Writer by a nose.

Buzzards Bay, who added blinkers, broke sharply and controlled the pace from the inside while pressured down the backstretch by Dover Dere. Sharp Writer, content to sit behind the leaders on the backstretch, began a three-wide move on the second turn and pulled even with Buzzards Bay heading into the stretch.

Buzzards Bay responded to Guidry's aggressive right-handed whipping and dug in to hold off Sharp Writer, who finished nine lengths in front of Dover Dere, the only other runner in the 1 1/16-mile race. The winning time was 1:43.69.

"When he felt that other horse entering the stretch, I nudged him and he responded," Guidry said. "Around the eighth pole, I knew I was in a dogfight. I hit him left-handed, and he eased out. When I went to the right, he dug back in and responded pretty good."