Laurel: Gilded Gold takes to turf

Mother Nature repeatedly delayed plans to put Gilded Gold back onto turf but the wait proved worthwhile in the $85,000 Kattegat's Pride Stakes at Laurel Park.

Fourth in her only previous try on grass three months ago, Gilded Gold ($13.20) overtook fading pacesetter Ambition Unbridled in the upper stretch, then held off 27-1 longshot Tight Spin by 1 1/4 lengths.

Ridden by Enrique Jurado for trainer Alan Goldberg, Gilded Gold completed the five furlongs in a swift 55.70 seconds.

Assistant trainer Jim Maloney said the stable tried to get Gilded Gold into a turf race several times, only to be foiled when bad weather moved the events to the main track.

"One of the jocks breezed her on the farm this summer and said she was better on the grass," Maloney said. "We breezed her three or four times and she seemed to prefer that surface. We entered her a few times and due to the terrible weather, we weren't able to get her into a grass race. After all that, it looks like our opinion of her was proven true."

Bright Gold, the 4-5 favorite who was bidding for her sixth consecutive victory and fourth stakes win since June, flattened out in the stretch and finished fourth.