Fair Grounds: Straw Hat scores

Straw Hat outran Medigating through the stretch to win the $50,000 Black Gold Handicap at Fair Grounds.

Straw Hat won his second straight race to give trainer Neil Howard his fifth stakes victory of the Fair Grounds meeting. Under jockey Robby Albarado, Straw Hat settled in last early in the one-mile race behind a crawling pace of 24.74 seconds cut out by Deference, with Medigating tracking him in second.

After six furlongs in 1:13.93, Deference could not hold back Medigating, who passed him on the turn. Straw Hat gradually drew clear from Medigating inside the furlong pole to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Krises Bells was another 2 3/4 lengths back in third, with I'm Bluffing fourth and Deference being eased in the stretch.

Straw Hat returned $5.60 and was timed in 1:39.30.

The race was originally scheduled for 7 1/2 furlongs on the grass, but heavy rain Friday forced the race onto the main track at a mile. Two scratches, Cape Hope and Pirates Bite, reduced the field to five.