Big Day at Parx Features Five Stakes
By Keith Jones, Announcer – Philadelphia Park @ kjones@parxracing.com
Saturday Parx Racing played host to the 12th edition of Pennsylvania’s Day at the Races, a day designed to honor the ever-growing Breeding industry here in the Commonwealth. The card called for five stakes races with purses totaling $400,000. Horses rallied for victories in four of the five with jockey Frankie Pennington picking up two stakes wins on the day.
The big race of the day, the $100,000 Mrs. Penny Stakes for older fillies and mares was forced off the turf and instead was contested on the main track at one mile and one-sixteenth. LA Thoroughbreds’ Sweet as You Are made a breathtaking move around the far turn, shooting through on rail and going from last to first in less than an eighth of a mile to take command of the race. Last into the first turn, the 5 year-old Mecke mare was taken to the rail by jockey Angel Castillo and stayed there the entire race. About seven lengths off the lead heading to the backstretch, Sweet as You Are made a steady advance down the backstretch run to get within four lengths of the leaders heading to the far turn. Suddenly accelerating, she shot through on the inside of all her rivals and in a blink had seized the lead. Clearly in front at the top of the stretch, she pulled away for an impressive three and a half length victory. Trained by David Dotolo, she received little attention at the windows, going off at 16-1 and paid $35.60 to win and finished out in 1:47.36.
The $75,000 Roanoke Stakes run at one mile and one-sixteenth for older males went to Briardale Stable’s Tujoes. Under a beautifully patient ride from Angel Arroyo, the 5 year-old gelded son of Oratory found himself eighth in the field of nine after the opening half-mile but relaxed saving ground and only three and a half lengths behind. Easing to the outside with a half-mile to run, Tujoes kicked in with a strong run rounding the far turn and despite being stuck on the far outside, picked up the leaders at the top of the stretch. Full of run off the turn, he quickly took command and started to draw away. Trained by Steve Klesaris, Tujoes hit the line nearly three lengths in front. Off as the second choice at 2-1, he paid $6.80 to win and stopped the timer in 1:45.79.
The big sprint of the day was the $75,000 Banjo Picker. Vicky Schowe’s Sloane Ranger survived a wide trip, closed relentlessly in the middle of the race track and got up in the final strides to win. The 6 year-old gelded son of Parker’s Storm Cat sat fourth early, but having started on the far outside, was four wide but only two lengths behind at the half-mile pole. His main rival Rod’s Five Star sat an inside fifth, but got first run when a hole opened on the inside at the top of the stretch. Inside the eighth pole, Rod’s Five Star finally put away the stubborn leader Blue Notion but Sloane Ranger was on the crown of the track and gaining steadily. Sloane Ranger surged ahead just before the wire to win his second stake of the year. Trained by Marty Ciresa and ridden by Frankie Pennington, he went off as the 6-5 favorite and paid $4.40 to win. The final time over the fast track was 1:10.04.
Three year-old fillies battled at six furlongs in the $75,000 Dr. Teresa Garofalo Memorial and when the dust settled the 3-5 favorite, James Courtney’s Spring Dance emerged a convincing four and a half length winner. Off a 13 length debut victory at Penn National, the Dance With Ravens filly sprinted to a clear lead from her outside post through an opening quarter of 21.78. 40-1 long shot Rockinonthewater reached the neck of Spring Dance as they came to the quarter pole, but that would be as close as it got. Spring Dance turned that challenge away and then edged away through the final furlong and came home a clear cut winner for trainer Tim Kreiser and jockey Angel Quinones. She covered the distance in 1:10.82 and paid $3.40 to win.
Carded for the grass at five furlongs, the $75,000 Marshall Jenney Handicap was run on the main track where Closing Vision proved best, holding off the late run of 3-2 favorite Ricky’s Lite to win by three-quarters of a length. Owned by Happy Got Lucky Stables, Inc., the 5 year-old gelded son of Pollard’s Vision was fifth and five wide after the first furlong but stayed on well as the field rounded the far turn. As leaders backed up on the inside, he found himself three wide at the quarter pole but moving well, took the lead just outside the eighth pole and then held the favorite safe at the end to notch the first stakes win of his career. Trained by Scott Lake and guided home by Frankie Pennington, Closing Vision paid $8.80 to win and hit the wire in :58.26.