He may have started on the outside but Winning the Medal finished fast up the inside to win a blanket finish over three rivals in the $100,000 Marshall Jenney Handicap at Parx Racing on Saturday. The Jenney was the last of five stakes for statebreds on the Pennsylvania’s Day at the Races card.
The Saturday card also contained the $150,000 Princess of Sylmar, an open race for 3-year-old fillies that was won by Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia, who was prepping for the Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx on Sept. 24.
Winning the Medal, who broke from the outside post in the 10-horse Jenney, a five-furlong turf sprint for Pennsylvania-breds, was up in deep stretch to win by a head under jockey Manny Esquivel. Rapid Dan finished with a good run outside horses to be second, a head in front of Spartianos and Agonistic, who dead-heated for third.
Spartianos came close to stealing the Jenney on the front end and Agonistic looked like he was going to catch him late before the top two finishers stormed by.
Winning the Medal, a 5-year-old gelded son of Medallist, was making his first stakes appearance for R & L Racing and trainer Patricia Farro, who leads the Parx standings. He is now 4 for 11 in his career. He paid $15.40 in the Jenney and was timed in 58.60 seconds.
Roanoke: Kobel shows the way
A $30,000 claim two starts back by owner Richard Malouf and trainer Scott Lake, Kobel scored a front-running win in the $100,000 Roanoke Stakes. The stakes victory was the first for Kobel, a 5-year-old who was making his 32n start.
With jockey Frankie Pennington in the irons, Kobel set the early pace on a short lead outside Ronnie Roam. He drew clear on the far turn, then repulsed a bid from 6-5 favorite Res Judicata in the stretch to score by 4 1/2 lengths. The Roanoke, a 1 1/16-mile main-track race for Pennsylvania-breds, was the 11th career victory for Kobel.
A son of Sequoyah, Kobel paid $14 as the fourth betting choice in the seven-horse field. He covered the distance in 1:44.37. The stakes win was Pennington’s second on the card.
Res Judicata held second by three-quarters of a length over 9-1 Monkey’s Medal.
Mrs. Penny: Valued Strike much best
Valued Strike left little doubt who was best in the Mrs. Penny Stakes, blowing by front-running longshot Persnickity in midstretch and drawing away to win by 2 3/4 lengths.
Owned by the Augustin Stable of George Strawbridge Jr., trained by Graham Motion, and ridden by Trevor McCarthy, Valued Strike was bet down to 2-1 favoritism in the 1 1/16-mile turf race for statebred fillies and mares. The Mrs. Penny was the first stakes win for Valued Strike, a 4-year-old daughter of Smart Strike who was bred by her owner.
Valued Strike is now 5 for 9 lifetime. She paid $6.60 to win and was timed in 1:46.18 while not being asked for her best late.
Pink Elephant finished second by a nose over Devilwentogeorgia but following a stewards’ inquiry and a jockey’s objection, she was disqualified to third for coming outward and bumping soundly with Devilwentogeorgia in midstretch.
Garofalo Memorial: Black Mission Fig upsets
Black Mission Fig is based at Fair Hill with trainer Michael Lerman but does the majority of her racing at Penn National.
On Saturday, she made her first start at Parx in a year and scored a 9-1 upset over even-money favorite Disco Chick in the $100,000 Dr. Teresa Garofalo Memorial, a six-furlong sprint for statebred fillies and mares.
Fat Kat set the early pace with Disco Chick settling into a stalking position. Disco Chick took the lead nearing the stretch but had no answer for Black Mission Fig’s late run.
Black Mission Fig won by 3 1/4 lengths under jockey Paco Lopez. She was timed in 1:11.08 and paid $20.80. Disco Chick held second by 6 1/2 lengths over Authoritative.
Black Mission Fig was making her first Parx start since finishing fifth in the Garofalo Memorial a year ago. She is owned by her breeder, Gold Square LLC.
Black Mission Fig, a 4-year-old daughter of Fusaichi Pegasus, is now 5 for 12 in her career.
Banjo Picker: A Fleet Attitude a sharp claim
A Fleet Attitude paid a quick dividend for owner Morris Kernan Jr. and trainer Marcos Zulueta, as he won the $100,000 Banjo Picker Stakes in his first start since being claimed for $40,000 on Aug. 1.
A Fleet Attitude, a 6-year-old son of Afleet Alex, saved ground early, swung out three wide nearing the stretch of the six-furlong race for Pennsylvania-breds, then won a late duel with pacesetting Purcell by a half-length.
A Fleet Attitude paid $8.20 as the third choice in the seven-horse field. He was timed in 1:10.01 and ridden by Pennington. A Fleet Attitude has now won 9 of 27 starts.
Purcell finished 3 3/4 lengths ahead of third-place He’s Got Talent.
The win was the second on the card for Zulueta and tied him for second in the Parx standings with trainer Mario Serey Jr.
Source: Daily Racing Form, Joe Dunleavy