Calkins Road Wins Santa Rosa's Grace 'Cap

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Calkins Road wore down 2-5 favorite Yougottawanna late to register his first stakes victory since November 2002 in the $97,840 Joseph T. Grace Handicap at Santa Rosa's Sonoma County Fair Saturday.

The California-bred 5-year-old Illinois Storm horse, ridden by Chad Schavenveldt for trainer John Shirreffs, was three-quarters of a length in front of Yougottawanna, covering the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:41 1/5. Peteski's Charm finished third in a field reduced to four by the scratch of Cappuchino.

Calkins Road carried 115 pounds, four less than Yougottawanna, to his fifth lifetime win in 16 starts. His last stakes triumph came in the $250,000 Cal Cup Classic Nov. 2, 2002. He has one win since then, taking an optional claiming event at Santa Anita in February. He ran fifth to Yougottawanna in the Seabiscuit Breeders' Cup Handicap at Bay Meadows May 31 in his last start.

The victory was worth $55,085 to owners Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Shapiro, who bred him. His dam is Little Code, by Lost Code. Calkins Road has earnings of 488,265.

Yougottawanna set the pace (:23 3/5, :47 1/5, 1:10 3/5, 1:34 4/5) and led by two lengths in the stretch before Calkins Road shifted out for his run, getting home under steady left-handed urging from Schavenveldt. It was nine lengths back to Peteski's Charm.

He paid $8.80 and $3. Yougottawanna returned $2.40. The exacta was worth $15.

(Chart, Equibase)

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