Oddly marked Painting the Sky wins again

Painting the Sky, a Thoroughbred who resembles a Paint, won her second consecutive race Friday night at Delta Downs. She was a nose winner over Jaded Rose in a first-level allowance for 3-year-olds fillies bred in Louisiana. The victory came on the heels of Painting the Sky’s maiden special weight win Feb. 20 at Delta.

Also on the card, Lunar Gaze ($9) edged Steel Cut by a head to win the $75,000 Gold Coast, a restricted stakes for fillies and mares. Gerard Melancon rode the winner for Late Night Stables and trainer Tom Amoss.

Painting the Sky ($29.60) was content to let the speed go on Friday, sitting in midpack for much of the one-mile race. She rallied through the stretch to get up on the wire, covering a mile on a fast track in 1:40.78. Junior Inirio was aboard for Sandra New and trainer Brett Brinkman.

“Junior gets along with her, and he has from Day 1,” Brinkman said. “I have to give him a lot of credit. She’s very ultra tender-mouthed. She really wants to run with her head up in the air a little bit. We race her in a very, very light rubber bit. Junior gets along with her and rides her with a lot of confidence.”

Brinkman said he would like to move Painting the Sky to turf at the upcoming meet at Evangeline Downs. Delta closes on Saturday.

Brinkman said paperwork has been submitted to attempt to have Painting the Sky double-registered as a Paint. She would fall under the cropout category because her parentage is Thoroughbred. Painting the Sky’s markings have to fit a certain criteria, then such applications for registration come before a review committee, according to a representative of the American Paint Horse Association.

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