Off Duty refuses to fold

Off Duty set a swift pace, temporarily surrendered the lead to favored Junior College, then battled back gamely under Larry Melancon to win the the $50,000 Don Bernhardt Memorial Stakes at Ellis Park.

Trained by Lynn Whiting, Off Duty ($8.40) finished 6 1/2 furlongs in a swift 1:15.43 over a fast track. After setting swift fractions while pressed from the outside by Spotsgone, the 4-year-old Off Duty was passed at the quarter pole by Junior College, but he rallied back along the rail to pull clear late.

At the wire, Off Duty had a length on late-running Funky Pirate, while Junior College, the defending Bernhardt champion, finished third. Junior College was vanned off afterward with an unspecified ailment.