Jockey’s Back On Track For Meet’s First Four-Day Weekend

It wasn’t one of Gina Berry’s better weekends.

The jockey at Playfair Race Course took a spill last Friday morning while galloping a horse. The fall was bad enough that her injuries were initially thought to be serious.

But Berry rebounded quickly and was off to Walla Walla to ride in a weekend fair meet.

There, her run of bad luck continued. She was disciplined by the track stewards after one of her mounts took the path of another horse. The interference cost her a seven-day suspension, Playfair director of racing Ted Martin said.

Berry will be back tonight, for one race, when action resumes at Playfair. She was granted a stay that allows her to ride at least through the weekend, Martin said. Trainer Tracy Lebret put Berry on Run Z’s Festival in place of Vince Ward in tonight’s sixth race.

The sixth is the first leg of a growing twin trifecta pot. The carryover pool in that popular wager is up to $11,523. Players pick the first three finishers in order in the sixth to get a shot at selecting the first three in the seventh.

Tonight’s feature is a 6-furlong dash for $10,000 claimers. Mantis drops in after finishing a strong third in the Inaugural Handicap on opening day, but he faces a stern test from Golden Rolls, a 4-year-old with early speed that breaks from the rail.

If Golden Rolls fires fresh - he’s been off a year - jockey Jody Davidson could wire the race that has also drawn a fast mare, G J’s Playgirl, and two contenders from the productive Mel White barn, Chippewa Warrior and Ask Slew.

This is Playfair’s first extended weekend. The track picks up Monday nights until the end of the meet and now offers on-site racing Friday nights through Mondays.

First local post Friday night is 5:35 p.m. Simulcast wagering on full cards from Del Mar (2 p.m.) and Emerald Downs (5:30) augments the local program.

, DataTimes