Oaklawn: Deputy Storm holds on

Deputy Storm held off a late surge from Engineered to win the $50,000 King Cotton Stakes by a head at Oaklawn Park. It was another length back in third to Level Playingfield.

Deputy Storm ($16.60) took the lead soon after the start of the six-furlong King Cotton and led the field through an opening quarter of 22.16 seconds, with That Tat in close pursuit. Deputy Storm shook off That Tat on the turn and covered the half-mile in 45.17. Through the stretch, Deputy Storm repulsed a bid by Wildcat Shoes, then held off a rail bid from Engineered to win in 1:10.32.

Deputy Storm gave his trainer, Ralph Nicks, the first stakes win of his career. Nicks, a longtime assistant to trainer Bill Mott, won his first race as a trainer last February at Oaklawn.

Luis Quinonez rode Deputy Storm, who earned $30,000 for the win, his fourth from nine career starts. His earnings increased to $181,965. He races for James Spence and is a 4-year-old son of Forestry.

* Chindi ($23.80), still a popular sprinter at age 11, won his first start of the year in the second race, an allowance that drew a stakes-quality field. It was Chindi's 18th win in 79 starts, good for $997,238 in earnings.

* Calvin Borel was two wins from career victory No. 4,000 after winning four races on the card Saturday.