INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Nov. 13, 2008) — Barber sped to a wire-to-wire victory in the $51,918 allowance/optional claiming feature as apprentice jockey Pedro Arambula completed a double on Thursday at Hollywood Park.

The 5-year-old chestnut gelding was clear at the head of the stretch and finished gamely to hold off favorite Mostacoli Mort by one length while covering 1 1/16 miles on Cushion Track in 1:41.91.

The fourth choice in the field of five at odds of almost 6-1, Barber paid $13.80, $5.40 and $4 while helping set the stage for a $62,891 Pick Six carryover on Friday. Mostacolli Mort, with Rafael Bejarano up, returned $2.60 and $2.10. The show payoff on Racketeer — another head back under Victor Espinoza — was $3.20. Great Hunter was a late scratch.

Barber, trained by Art Sherman for William J. Zellerbach, banked $30,600 to boost his earnings to $257,073. The win was his sixth in 23 starts.

Arambula, a 23-year-old native of Ventura who began his career riding quarter horses, also rode two winners Nov. 2 and has five victories through 12 days of the 40-day Autumn Meet. His first win Thursday came aboard Brave Sun ($8) in the third race.

Bejarano, who leads the standings with 15 wins, rode three winners on the card, while Doug O’Neill saddled a pair of winners.