Jones Boys Strike Again With Same Cross

Brereton Jones’s Same Cross, so named because of her close kinship to Brereton Jones’s 2008 Grade I Kentucky Derby and Grade II Fair Grounds Oaks winner Proud Spell, won Thursday’s $47,000 Fair Grounds 5 1/2-furlong feature by 2 1/4-lengths.

The allowance and $25,000 optional claiming dash for older fillies and mares was originally scheduled for the grass but was taken off the turf and run on the main track.

As the odds-on choice of the fans, Same Cross returned $3.80, $2.60 and $2.20, accomplished the distance in 1:04.72 and increased her career earnings to $51,600 with her second victory in as many starts.  She was ridden by Rosie Napravnik and trained by Larry Jones who were teaming up for their second win of the afternoon as a jockey-trainer tandem.

Halina Warren’s Divine Providence rallied in the lane to be clearly second best, finishing 1 1/4-lengths in front of Steven Petit’s Ms Hoochie Coochie who pressed the pace, could not stay with the top two but held down the show position.

Divine Providence paid $3.60 and $2.80 and Ms Hoochie Coochie returned $2.60.

Allied Racing Stable’s Rally the Troops set early fractions of 22.60 and 46.08 before tiring.