Classy score for Treasure Beach gelding – at 29-1

If any horse has subscribed to the old adage “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again,” it has been Classy Nekia. It took the 5-year-old Treasure Beach gelding 22 races to break his maiden, but when he accomplished the feat at Mahoning Valley yesterday, he literally blew up the tote board.

With Luis Gonzalez aboard in the one-mile race, 29-1 shot Classy Nekia tracked in second place behind pace-setter Coletta, went up to battle for the lead entering the stretch, and out-gamed the 6/5 favorite to the wire to score by one-half length, becoming Treasure Beach’s fourth U. S. winner of the new year. The $15,000 OBS April 2-year-old paid $61.40, $15.60 and $5.20 and earned a check for $6,600, lifting Treasure Beach over the $100,000 mark for the first 34 days of the season.