Stonerside Stable’s homebred Grade 1 winner Bob and John dueled with 3-to-5 favorite Sweetnorthernsaint through a prolonged stretch drive to win the $388,000 Lone Star Park Handicap (G3) by a neck on Monday. Making his second start of the season after a runner-up finish in the Texas Mile Stakes (G3) at Lone Star on April 28, Bob and John stalked Jonesboro from the outside early before overtaking that opponent entering the stretch.

The four-year-old Seeking the Gold colt vied between Jonesboro and Sweetnorthernsaint on the far turn, dueled neck and neck with Sweetnorthernsaint through the stretch, and drifted out near the sixteenth pole before prevailing under strong handling by jockey Garrett Gomez.

Sweetnorthernsaint and Bob and John last met in the 2006 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) where they finished seventh and 17th, respectively.

Bob and John, the second-choice at 7-to-5, covered 1 1/16 miles on a sealed sloppy track in 1:45.02.

The dark bay or brown colt’s 1 1/2-length victory in the 2006 Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) at Aqueduct over eventual Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Jazil for trainer Bob Baffert was his only other career start on a sloppy track.

Sweetnorthernsaint held on to finish 6 3/4 lengths in front of third-place finisher Jonesboro. Real Dandy, the only other horse in the field, weakened to finish another four lengths behind Joneseboro.

Bob and John improved to five wins from 14 career starts and boosted his career earnings to $996,330. He is out of Minister’s Melody, by Deputy Minister.
Source www.thoroughbredtimes.com