Jonesboro wakes up on class drop

Jonesboro ($6.60), dropped in class following a sixth-place finish behind reigning Horse of the Year Curlin in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs, returned to winning form in Saturday's $50,000 Governor's Handicap at Ellis Park.

Pressing the pace of longshot Longley through fractions of 23.68 and 46.73 seconds in the one-mile Governor's Handicap, Jonesboro took command with six furlongs in 1:10.66 and pulled away in the stretch to score by 3 1/4 lengths under Tracy Hebert. He raced a mile in 1:35.86.

Save Big Money rallied from sixth to grab second at 11-1, never threatening Jonesboro but finishing a half-length in front of favored Officer Rocket in third.

The winner, a 6-year-old son of Sefapiano out of the late champion Mom's Command, won for the second time in six starts this year for owner Michael Langford and trainer Randy Morse. He also won the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park on March 8.