Handsome Mike adds two winners – both by a nose

By the length of two noses, Handsome Mike gained his third and fourth winners of the year yesterday, Do What It takes scoring at Tampa Bay Downs and Carletta doing likewise at Delta Downs.

Do What It Takes, bred in New York by Joe and Helen Barbazon, got off fifth going seven furlongs with Antonio Gallardo in the irons, and cruised up to third on the outside on the turn. She went after the two leaders heading into the stretch but was carried very wide as they straightened out for home.

The 5-year-old mare recovered and took the lead down the lane only to be immediately chased by Exceed the Goal, who had come from last place with a bold rush. Exceed the Goal stuck her neck in front with 100 yards to go and appeared to be home, but Gallardo got into Do What It Takes and she prevailed by a nose in a close photo. She’s now 5-5-7 in 29 starts and the $7,200 check raised her earnings to $67,376.

Carletta, owned and bred by Carl D. Helmandollar, broke a string of three straight seconds at Delta Downs, getting her second victory by what Equibase called a head, but was no more than a nose. Racing five furlongs with Emanuel Nieves, she was off third from the rail, went three wide after the lead on the turn, and, in a battle of 2-1 shots, caught pace-setter Viking Voyage right on the wire. Carletta paid $6.20 and earned $7,200.

Earlier in the month, Victory Turn won at Caymanas Park in Jamaica in a race at a mile and one-sixteenth. The 5-year-old mare was bred by Joe Barbazon.