Southern Yankee holds on in Genesis

Southern Yankee, under Ricardo Feliciano, controlled the early pace in Friday night's $50,000 Genesis Stakes at Delta Downs before digging in and holding off a late charge from favored On the Menu to prevail by a neck. Smoking Again turned in an even effort to finish 4 1/4 lengths farther back in third in the two-turn seven-furlong contest for 3-year-old fillies.

Trained by Olivo Inirio, Southern Yankee ($10.20) was coming off an eight-place effort in the Grade 3, $500,000 Delta Princess. She added Lasix for the first time Friday night and responded with her second stakes win of the meeting after having accounting for $100,000 My Trusty Cat in November. She covered the seven furlongs over a fast strip in 1:26.33.

* In the $50,000 Triple Sec for colts and geldings, also at seven furlongs, It Happened Again ($10.80) looked sharp in stalking the early pace before taking over turning for home. The Larry Jones charge held off 6-5 favorite Valid Stripes to win by two lengths in 1:25.82. Code of Honor finished third.

It Happened Again was ridden by Gabriel Saez and won for the second time in four starts.