Mint Slewlep takes to turf second time

Mint Slewlep, who beat only one horse in his only previous try on turf 13 months ago, handled the grass just fine in Saturday's $60,000 Da Hoss Stakes at Colonial Downs.

Jockey Malcolm Franklin collected his third win of the card when the 4-year-old Mint Slewlep rallied to overtake 8-5 favorite Salinja by three-quarters of a length in the one-mile race.

Salinja, ridden by Luis Garcia, looked like a winner when he opened up a 1 1/2-length lead with a furlong remaining, but Mint Slewlep wore down the leader in the final 70 yards to prevail, completing the distance in 1:37.00. Bastille finished third, a half-length behind Salinja.

Trained by Rob Bailes, Mint Slewlep had not raced since finishing last of six, beaten 21 lengths, in the Brandywine Stakes on Delaware Park's main track on May 10. He flashed speed and faded to eighth in last year's Grade 3 Colonial Turf Cup, his first experiment on grass.