NEW ORLEANS – He wasn’t as sharp as last month, but odds-on favorite Usually Wrong won his second straight stakes race after holding clear Mondogetsbuckets by a neck in the $97,000 Colonel Power on Saturday at Fair Grounds.
Usually Wrong, a 5-year-old homebred trained by Robertino Diodoro for BG Stables and Selman Shaby, has quietly put together an excellent career: His record now stands at 12-9-1-0, that despite being disqualified when much the best in an allowance race earlier this meet.
:: Big Action in the Big Easy at Fair Grounds! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now.
Usually Wrong can run on dirt but has thrived since connections moved him to turf, crossing the wire first in five of his six grass races. Usually Wrong is by Lookin at Lucky out of D R C’s Pretty Sky, by Sky Mesa. He was supposed to win the Kenner and came through at $3.
Usually Wrong and jockey Isaac Castillo led all the way last month winning the Duncan Kenner Stakes, but in the Colonel Power, Bear River came out running and made the lead under James Graham. Castillo kept Usually Wrong just off the leader’s flank through an opening quarter in 21.72, drew alongside after turning for home, poked his head in front and put Bear River away. Mondogetsbuckets, sitting fifth for the first half-mile, came with a run and was gaining on the winner but the wire came in time for Usually Wrong.
Racing over a firm, fast-playing turf course with the temporary rail taken down, Usually Wrong ran 5 1/2 furlongs in a course record 1:02.28 and paid $3. Lightly raced, and usually a winner.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.