Dynamic Strike, making his first start since he was claimed for $32,000 on May 20 in Maryland, won the $100,000 Leemat Stakes for Pennsylvania-breds for the second straight year on Sunday night at Presque Isle Downs.
Bound, with Julio Hernandez aboard, defeats R Frosty One by a half-length in the Northern Fling for fillies and mares. Ridden by Willie Martinez, who was also aboard for Dynamic Strike’s stakes score a year ago, got the 6-year-old gelding to pass four horses in the final furlong to win by a half-length over even-money favorite Granny’s Kitten. Grand Old Game, the pacesetter, finished third at 19-1.
Owner Ron Clark said he and trainer Gerald Brooks had the Leemat in mind when they put in a claim slip for Dynamic Strike at Pimlico this spring.
“We claimed him to set him up for this race,” Clark said. “That was always the plan. Now we’ll aim for the Presque Isle Mile and the prep for that race.”
Dynamic Strike, bet down from 15-1 on the morning line to 3-1, paid $8 after completing a mile on Tapeta in 1:37.89. A son of Smart Strike, he is now 7 for 37 lifetime with earnings of $353,590.
Bound scores in Northern Fling
The 5-year-old mare Bound, returning to Presque Isle Downs for the first time since finishing third in this same race a year ago, earned the third stakes victory of her career when she rallied to win the $100,000 Northern Fling for Pennsylvania-bred fillies and mares.
Fifth in her first start since November going seven furlongs on dirt at Parx Racing on June 19, the Penn National-based Bound ($6.80) sat in third, two lengths off pacesetter R Frosty One, through six furlongs in 1:13.05. Under jockey Julio Hernandez, Bound rallied three-wide into the stretch, put her head in front inside the 70-yard pole and prevailed by a half-length over another Penn National-based runner, R Frosty One. It was another length back to Valued Strike in third. The winning time for a mile was 1:37.92.
A daughter of Jump Start, Bound is trained by Bernie Houghton for owner Barlar LLC. She is now 8 for 21 with earnings of $401,174.
Source: Daily Racing Form, Joe DeVino