Delta Downs: Grand Contender closes out meet by taking Borgata

Grand Contender, who set a track record earlier in the season at Delta Downs, closed out the meet Saturday night with a 6 3/4-length win in the $75,000 Borgata. Runaway Stephen finished second in the mile race for older horses. It was another 2 3/4 lengths back in third to Awesome Intime.

The Borgata was restricted to 4-year-olds and up who had started at Delta since Oct. 10, 2013.

Grand Contender ($2.60), who set a track record in the Delta Downs Mile on the Jackpot Day program in November, led throughout in the Borgata. On a sloppy track, he set fractions of 22.63 seconds for the opening quarter, 46.83 for the half-mile, and 1:12.36 for six furlongs before winning in a time of 1:38.63.

Grand Contender’s track-record time for the distance is 1:36.89.

Gerard Melancon rode Grand Contender, who is owned by Maggi Moss and trained by Tom Amoss.

Grand Contender has now won 6 of 20 starts and $305,860.