King of the Roxy a winner in return

King of the Roxy made a successful return to racing following a brief retirement and a 15-month layoff, capturing the 40th running of the $50,000 Don Bernhardt Memorial Stakes on Saturday at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky.

Owned by Team Valor International and trained by Todd Pletcher, King of the Roxy pressed the pace from the rail before surging late to edge clear by 1 1/2 lengths under Orlando Mojica. He returned $8 as third choice after finishing 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.24 over a fast track.

Vicarian, the 5-2 second choice, was up in the final jump to get second by a head from True Course, the 7-5 favorite who set the pace to midstretch. Agastache, My Private Lake, and Darling Mon were scratched, leaving a field of six.

King of the Roxy, a 5-year-old Ohio-bred, had not raced since April 2008, when he finished sixth in the Carter Handicap at Aqueduct. His retirement with a pastern injury was announced last year but recanted in February.