Old-timers dominate in Rise Jim

The well-traveled Mr. Meso returned to Suffolk Downs to take the $50,000 Rise Jim Stakes for Massachusetts-breds over his former stablemate and fellow old-timer Ask Queenie Saturday at Suffolk Downs.

Mr. Meso has now won both his starts at age 10, including a $5,000 Delaware Park claiming race where trainer James MacFarlane claimed him in April with the hope of returning to his home state for his New England Stallion Station.

Under jockey Hector Ramos, Mr. Meso tracked the pace set by entrymate Fifty Seven G before pushing to the front in the stretch and holding off Ask Queenie, getting six furlongs in 1:12.32 and paying $11.20. Sultan's Prince was third with even-money favorite Same Day Pleasure fourth.

It was Mr. Meso's fourth stakes win but it comes seven years after he took the 2003 Massachusetts Derby and the Northampton Stakes at the defunct Three County Fair for trainer Lori Lockhart - the longtime trainer of Ask Queenie. He was claimed away in 2004 and began a tour of the South and Midwest for a string of trainers.

The top two finishers are a combined 19 years old, have won 48 of 121 starts, and earned $1.1 million.