Don Six wires Gravesend

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Don Six took advantage of the fortuitous scratches of two speed horses and then proceeded to go gate to wire to win Sunday's Grade 3, $109,400 by 1 1-4 lengths at Aqueduct.

Mr Whitestone rallied from well back to be second, one-half length ahead of Papua. Gators n Bears, the 4-5 favorite, faded to fourth after chasing Don Six for the opening five furlongs. Black Silk and Eavesdropper completed the order of finish.

It was the first graded stakes victory for Don Six, a 4-year-old Florida-bred son of Wild Escapade. Don Six was making his first start for trainer Scott Lake, who won last year's Gravesend with Shake You Down. Frank Generazio, the wife of owner/breeder Patricia Generazio, was listed as the previous trainer of Don Six.

The scratches of Uncle Cammie and Ameri Brilliance left Don Six as the main speed in this six-horse field.

Jockey Mike Luzzi gunned Don Six to the front and maintained a clear advantage through an opening quarter in 22.84 seconds and a half-mile in 45.35 seconds. He stopped the teletimer in 1:08.97, equaling the second-fastest time recorded in this race at six furlongs. Petrogard and Hidden Tomahawk hold the stakes record at 1:08.60.

``Scott sent orders to put him on the lead,'' said Luzzi, who rode Shake You Down to victory in this race last year. ```I broke with a hold and had a hold of him the whole time. When the other horses came to him, he ran on again.''

Don Six, who returned $12, will most likely start next in the $75,000 Paumonok Handicap here on Jan. 20. Last year, Don Six was beaten a head in that race by Peeping Tom.