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Barber has fast start as GPD�s run begins GRANTS PASS � Jockey Shawna Barber wasted little time in making an impact at Grants Pass Downs. Barber highlighted the opening day of the shortened local horse racing meet Saturday by riding four winners on the nine-race card. Barber�s biggest victory of the day on the GPD half-mile dirt oval came aboard favorite Dr. Kitten in the featured Daily Courier Inaugural Handicap before a crowd of 1,161. The veteran jockey brought Dr. Kitten off the pace at 5� furlongs to capture the winner�s share of the $2,300 purse. Dr. Kitten sat fourth in the field of five early on, but circled four wide on the final turn and took the lead inside the final 1/16th mile to win by three-quarters of a length over Imus, ridden by Joe Crispin. The Raymond MacMullin-trained colt registered his 11th lifetime win and fifth at GPD. Dr. Kitten, owned by Rogue River residents Tom and Nora Brown, paid $3 to win, $2.60 to place and $2.20 to show. Imus dueled for the early lead and held on to pay $2.20 to place and $2.80 to show. Co-pacesetter Brazen Lad finished third and returned $2.40. Barber got off to a quick start by winning two of the first three races for Grants Pass-product Mark Garrison � GPD�s leading trainer last year. She demonstrated her versatility with a victory in the first race aboard All Red ($9.20 to win) in a thoroughbred maiden race covering 4� furlongs. Then she hustled the quarter horse Ruthies Secret ($15.80 to win) to the wire first in a 350-yard dash for maidens. Two races after the Inaugural, Barber completed the day the way she started by piloting Purest Pizazz to an easy 9�-length romp in the 5�-furlong nightcap. Albany jockey Twyla Beckner was the only other rider to chalk up multiple victories on opening day. Beckner scored wins in back-to-back races before suffering a gate incident which forced Hanna Breanna to be scratched in the feature. Beckner was not injured and returned to ride the last two races and guided Katie Can to second in the final. The second of the nine-day season continues today with a 1 p.m. post time at the Josephine County Fairgrounds. Racing will be held every Saturday and Sunday through July 2, with the season ending on July 4. Track Tidbits � Grants Pass jockeys Keith Rough and Myra Truitt are not scheduled to ride at GPD this season. Both riders are presently in Stockton for the beginning of the California fair circuit. Rough, last season�s leading jockey at GPD, posted wins in the second leg of the Far West Futurity at Portland Meadows this winter and the spring running of the Pot of Gold Futurity in Idaho. Truitt is in California with husband/trainer Pat Truitt. � Ben Root, 23, has taken over the duties of racing secretary at GPD this season. Root, a 1999 business-school graduate at Oregon State University, previously was the trainer of a 20-horse barn at Portland Meadows and was director of operations of the Portland Pythons professional indoor soccer team. � Three of the biggest races of the GPD season will take place on the final day of the meet on July 4. Besides the finals of the $35,000 quarter horse Far West Futurity, the track will host the longest race of the meet � the 1 5/16-mile Oakhurst Thoroughbreds Marathon � and the richest thoroughbred race � the $4,000-added Bettor�s Invitational Handicap. Saturday�s Results FIRST RACE TB Mdn Clm, 4 1/2 F. 1, All Red (S. Barber), 9.20, 3.60, 3.40; 2, Cisco Red (R. Garcia), 3.20, 2.60; 3, Gold N Deal (R. Sanchez), 4.40. Q � 1-3 $10.00; TRI � 3-1-8 $765.10. Time � :55.2. SECOND RACE TB Clm, 4 1/2 F. 1, Big Cowboy (J. Whiteside), 22.40, 8.00, 5.60; 2, Day Drop (J. Crispin), 7.00, 7.60; 3, Prayer Kept (R. Sanchez), 4.60. Q � 6-7 $67.20; TRI � 7-6-4 $1,081.00; DD � 3-7 $226.40. Time � :56.0 THIRD RACE QH Mdn, 350 yds. 1, Ruthies Secret (S. Barber), 15.80, 3.60, 3.20; 2, Tootsie Time (T. Skaggs), 2.40, 2.60; 3, Megans Beduino (R. Sanchez), 2.80. Q � 4-6 $10.60; TRI � 6-4-5 $61.60. Time � :18.07. FOURTH RACE TB Clm, 4 1/2 F. 1, Fair Hostage (J. Crispin), 4.20, 3.80, 2.60; 2, Secret Road (T. Skaggs), 8.60, 4.60; 3, Prem�s Lord Lady (R. Sanchez), 6.60. Q � 4-8 $109.00; TRI � 4-8-2 $724.20. Time � :54.0 FIFTH RACE TB Clm, 4 1/2 F. 1, Mashhad (T. Beckner), 6.20, 4.00, 3.20; 2, Con Brio Tempo (T. Skaggs), 6.40, 5.60; 3, Synquest (J. Crispin), 3.20. Q � 1-3 $18.60; TRI � 3-1-2 $82.60. Time � :56.3 SIXTH RACE Mixed breed Clm, 600 yds. 1, Mayhegobuggy (T. Beckner), 6.20, 3.00, 2.40; 2, Big Red Dustem (S. Barber), 4.00, 2.80; 3, Cashinova Da Limit (T. Skaggs), 3.40. Q � 2-3 $7.20; TRI � 3-2-4 $55.60. Time � :31.56. SEVENTH RACE Inaugural Hdcp, 5 1/2 F. 1, Dr. Kitten (S. Barber), 3.00, 2.60, 2.20; 2, Imus (J. Crispin), 4.20, 2.80; 3, Brazen Lad (R. Garcia), 2.40. Q � 1-6 $5.40; TRI � 6-1-3 $16.80. Time � 1:07. EIGHTH RACE TB Clm, 4 1/2 F. 1, Delta Mae (T. Skaggs), 13.60, 5.80, 4.80; 2, Louisiana Jazz (D. Braden), 9.40, 5.20; 3, Frosty Bear (J. Whiteside), 3.60. Q � 2-7 $84.40; TRI � 2-7-1 $429.60. Time � :55.2. NINTH RACE TB Mdn, 5 1/2 F. 1, Purest Pizazz (S. Barber), 5.00, 2.80, 3.60; 2, Katie Can (T. Beckner), 3.80, 2.60; 3, Story In My Pocket (T. Skaggs), 3.20. Q � 1-6 $8.00; TRI � 6-1-8 $92.80. Time � 1:08. Handle � $50,374; Attendance � 1,161 Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. 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