Dominga finishes best to win Lacombe Stakes

Dominga might want to race farther than a mile, but a mile worked fine Saturday at Fair Grounds when Dominga rallied down the center of the Fair Grounds turf course to win the $75,000 Allen “Black Cat” Lacombe Memorial Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths.

Wexx finished second and Embossed, who had the lead at the stretch call in a closer-dominated affair, was third. Dominga, ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan for trainer Brad Cox and owner-breeder Don Alberto Stable, paid $7 to win and was timed in 1:41.54 for one mile on a firm turf course. Saturday’s races were run with the temporary inner rail set at 27 feet.

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Dominga lost an overnight stakes last month at Fair Grounds by more than four lengths to Alms, but Alms is a really good filly and Dominga powered her way to victory Saturday despite having to close wide into a modest tempo. Pranked went out to lead the Lacombe, going an opening half-mile in 50.32, but horses anywhere near the front at that point played no final role. Embossed came three wide to grab the lead before the furlong pole but quickly was swallowed up by Wexx, with Dominga making the last, best move.

“She’s such a big filly, has such a big good stride to her, we try to use it at the end,” said Bridgmohan, who won two Fair Grounds stakes races last Saturday.

Dominga is by Ghostzapper out of Dynarama, by Dynaformer, a pedigree that should get her through nine furlongs and beyond as the spring and summer 3-year-old filly turf-route stakes schedule unfolds. The Lacombe probably was on the short side for her, but Dominga didn’t come up short.