Lady Jila wins Columbine for fourth time

The 9-year-old mare Lady Jila became the first Thoroughbred at Arapahoe Park to win the same stakes four times when she barely hung on in the $35,000 Columbine, giving trainer O.A. Martinez Jr. a sweep of Sunday’s two stakes for Colorado-breds.

Lady Jila ($5.20), breaking from post 11 under Mike Ziegler, surged to the lead after six furlongs in 1:11.76, opened up by three lengths at the eighth pole, and then just held off Brokeanlovingit by a neck, completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:48.72. The Tizzler finished third at 33-1, three-quarters of a length behind the runner-up.

A daughter of Jila owned by Michael Barro’s Barro Racing, Lady Jila has now won 23 of 55 starts and $292,766.

The 7-year-old Magical Twist, making his fourth appearance in the Mount Elbert, finally won the 1 1/16-mile event, scoring by 3 3/4 lengths under Tracy Hebert.

Trained by Martinez for Eli Diamant, Magical Twist ($5.80) covered the distance in 1:46.56 for his eighth win in 38 lifetime starts. He is a son of Oliver’s Twist.

CC Express was second, two lengths in front of Billie D.