Good Deed scores in Pan Zareta Stakes

Good Deed does not race that often, but when she does, she tends to win. On Saturday at Fair Grounds, she beat Seeking Ms Shelley by 2 1/2 lengths in the $57,600 Pan Zareta Stakes, her ninth victory from 16 starts. Pretty good, indeed.

It was a revenge race, of sorts, Good Deed having been upset in the 2014 Pan Zareta by Seeking Ms Shelley. That second-place finish is Good Deed’s only loss in five grass races, while Seeking Ms Shelley’s strong showing today is expected to be the last of her career. The 9-year-old mare is scheduled to be retired and bred this season.

Favored at odds of 1-5 on the heels of a course record-setting turf-sprint allowance win last month, Good Deed had only the most fleeting anxious moment, challenged mildly before the eighth pole by Seeking Ms Shelley. On the lead under Brian Hernandez Jr. through splits of 22.06 seconds and 45.30, Good Deed ($2.40) had energy to repel the threat, pulling away to win comfortably in a quick 1:02.88. Stoupinator was a distant third, followed by One Time Only and the second choice Angie’s Prim Lady.

A 6-year-old homebred daughter of Broken Vow and Hidden Assets, Good Deed is owned by Richard and Bertram Klein and trained by Steve Margolis.