- Joint Custody — Stanton S. (DEL)
- Trained by John Robb for Konrad M. Wayson
- Bred in Maryland by Janet Wayson
- Majestic River — Lighthouse S. (MTH)
- Trained by Todd Pletcher for George Bolton, Barry Lipman, and Natrona Racing Stable LLC
- Cherokee Artist — Mr. Prospector S. (MTH)
- Trained and owned by David Jacobson[/boxify]
The hard-hitting Ribo Bobo figured to be the main (mane?) attraction in the weekend’s mid-Atlantic racing. But the rugged six year-old ran into trouble early and late in Sunday’s Mr. Prospector Stakes at Monmouth Park and would up settling for second in the $75,000 event.
Instead, it was Cherokee Artist, a nine year-old son of Cherokee Run, who stood for the win photo.
Ribo Bobo broke alertly in the six-furlong test but was outsprinted to the front by Evolution Rocks, to his outside. Evolution Rocks, under Gabriel Saez, came over to secure the rail. putting Ribo Bobo, with Paco Lopez, in tight and forcing him to steady. Ribo Bobo tipped outside of Evolution Rocks to give chase, and those two zipped through splits of 21 3/5 seconds and 43 4/5.
Ribo Bobo took the lead in the stretch, but Cherokee Artist, with Trevor McCarthy up for trainer/owner David Jacobson, rallied outside to win by three-quarters of a length.
“I knew there was a lot of speed in the race so I just wanted to settle off the pace and gear up for one run,” said winning jockey Trevor McCarthy. “We were able to save all the ground and he really took off in the stretch. Ribo Bobo is a tough horse to run down, but we were able to do it today.”
Late-running Candyman E finished third.
Cherokee Artist sports a career record of 51-13-10-7 with earnings of $892,685. The win was his second in stakes company; his prior stake win came in the 2009 Presque Isle Mile.
Elsewhere…
Cherokee Artist nips Ribo Bobo to win the Mr. Prospector Stakes at Monmouth Park. Photo By Ryan Denver/EQUI-PHOTO
Majestic River scored a decisive two-length win in Saturday’s Lighthouse Stakes at Monmouth. The four year-old A.P. Indy filly stalked the pace of Brenda’s Way before taking control under Eddie Castro in the lane. It was her first stakes win and fourth from seven starts overall.
- Thursday’s Stanton Stakes for three year-olds at Delaware Park scratched down to four runners when taken off the turf. That left the field at the mercy of Joint Custody, and the 4-5 favorite did not disappoint, coasting to a three-length score under Trevor McCarthy.
- Two runners from the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll were in action this weekend:
- Favored Delauanay (MD), fourth on the older horse list, finished second in the Iowa Sprint Handicap after a race-long duel with Work All Week. The $25,000 he earned pushed his career earnings over $1 million. Work All Week, meanwhile, has won seven consecutive starts.
- Thank You Marylou (VA), second on the three year-old list, finished seventh in the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks over the sloppy going at Prairie Meadows.
- Nearly half of the field in Sunday’s Grade 3 Victory Ride at Belmont Park was comprised of Pennsylvania-breds — three out of seven, with three Kentucky-breds –but it was a longshot Kentucky-bred who got the money. Street Story used a good setup, with a hot pace upfront, to run down PA-bred Miss Behaviour in the late stages.
