Turfway: Yucatan nips Saintly Look

Yucatan, always on the pace with Greg Schaefer aboard, shook free from Eyeforglory after dueling much of the way, then barely withstood a late rush by favored Saintly Look to post a neck victory in the $50,000 Forego Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

A 5-year-old Favorite Trick gelding, Yucatan broke smoothly from his rail post in the 6 1/2-furlong Forego to take a slim lead from Eyeforglory. Into the stretch, Yucatan steadily edged clear, then was all out to hold off a torrid surge from Saintly Look.

Yucatan, based at the Thoroughbred Training Center in Lexington, Ky. with trainer Sherman Mitchell, returned $11.60 as third choice in a field of eight older horses. Saintly Look, the 8-5 choice, finished another 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Eyeforglory.

Owned by Gilbert and Peter Simon, Yucatan was a seven-length winner of a Mountaineer Park allowance race in late November before finishing third and fourth in two subsequent starts at Turfway. Saintly Look had soundly defeated him in their last meeting, the Dec. 31 Holiday Cheer.

The $31,300 winner's share boosted Yucatan's career bankroll to $129,039. The Forego is his first stakes win.