ROUNDUP : Pistols And Roses Wins Donn Handicap

Pistols And Roses, the longest shot in the field at 44-1, scored a narrow victory in the $400,000 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla., on Saturday.

Pistols And Roses first had to catch Southland-based Missionary Ridge in a stretch-long duel and then hold off a late run by Irish Swap. Ridden by Heberto Castillo Jr., Pistols And Roses won by a head, with Irish Swap second by a head over Missionary Ridge.

Technology, the 3-2 favorite, finished eighth in the field of nine.

Pistols And Roses ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:50 and paid $91.40, $24 and $9.40. Irish Swap paid $5.20 and $3.80. Missionary Ridge paid $4.60.

Missionary Ridge broke on top, but Jolie’s Halo rushed up to force the pace from the start. Technology was third on the first turn with Pistols And Roses fourth.

Turning for home, Pistols And Roses moved up on the outside and got his head in front of Missionary Ridge. In the last sixteenth, Pistols And Roses and Missionary Ridge continued to battle head and head as Irish Swap bore down on them.

It was the first victory since April 11, 1991, for the 4-year-old Florida-bred son of Darn That Alarm. He had lost seven in a row and had finished 7 3/4 lengths behind Technology in the Broward Handicap at Gulfstream on Jan. 30.

Lil E. Tee, last year’s Kentucky Derby winner who had not raced since undergoing surgery last June, slipped through along the rail and caught Darrell Darrell to win a $34,000 allowance sprint at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

Two weeks after Lil E. Tee won the Kentucky Derby, he finished fifth in the Preakness. Two weeks after that, he underwent arthroscopic surgery.

Saturday, Kelly’s Copy took the field of eight older horses through the first half mile in 45 seconds. At that point, Lil E. tee was fourth. At the top of the stretch, Darrell Darrell took the lead before Pat Day finally got Lil E. Tee free of traffic. He beat Darrell Darrell by more than a length in 1:08 2/5, fastest six-furlong time of the meeting. It was another four lengths back to Guns Of Cielo.

Lil E. Tee returned $4.20, $2.60 and $2.20. Darrell Darrell returned $2.60 and $2.40 and Guns of Cielo paid $2.80.