- Chrome Mine — Sylvia Bishop Memorial S. (CT)
- Trained by David Walters for Michael J. Miller
- Bred in West Virginia by Michael J. Miller
- Concealedwithakiss — Sorority S. (MTH)
- Trained by Eddie Plesa, Jr. for Laurie Plesa and Vincent Rizzuto
- Souper Collosal — Sapling S. (MTH)
- Trained by Eddie Plesa, Jr. for Live Oak Plantation
- Blue Violet — Lady’s Secret S. (MTH)
- Trained by Larry Jones for Susan Knoll
- Munirah — G3 Boiling Springs S. (MTH)
- Trained by H. Graham Motion for Zanim Meajohn
- Quality Lass — Turf Amazon H. (PRX)
- Trained by Guadalupe Preciado for West Point Thoroughbred
- Cary Street — G3 Greenwood Cup S. (PRX)
- Trained by Brendan Walsh for JBL Thoroughbreds LLC and Walsh Racing LLC
- Protonico — G3 Smarty Jones S. (PRX)
- Trained by Todd Pletcher for International Equities Holding Inc.
- Sharp Sensation — G3 Turf Monster H. (PRX)
- Trained by Reade Baker for Jim and Susan Hill[/boxify]
Stakes quotes and headlines…
- Chrome Mine and Pocket Gift engaged in quite a battle in Saturday evening’s Sylvia Bishop Memorial Stakes for three-year-old WV-bred fillies at Charles Town. Pocket Gift broke sharply and grabbed the early lead, but Chrome Mine put in a surge approaching the turn for home and took a two-length advantage into the stretch. Pocket Gift, under JD Acosta, appeared to be done, but that was not the case; she kept on doggedly and made a last surge, just missing the win by a head. Late-running Pepper Bay was less than a length back in third. A daughter of Mineshaft, Chrome Mine, under Jose Montano, posted her fourth win in five career starts, her first against stakes company, and pushed her earnings to $80,730.
- “It was an honest pace and she was really able to save ground and pick it up at the end,” said jockey Trevor McCarthy, aboard Munirah in the G3 Boiling Springs at Monmouth. “The more she’s run, the more she’s learning and she showed her class today.” Munirah rallied from last to pip Sumba Sunset at the wire in the 1 1/8 mile turf test for sophomore fillies.
- Ben’s Cat bobbled on the turn in Monday’s Grade 3 Turf Monster at Parx, and rider Julian Pimentel briefly lost his rein. All of that left the Maryland-bred a lot to do, and though he almost did it, the gap proved too great. He finished second, while Sharp Sensation, under David Moran, benefited, going clear in the stretch and lasting by a head over the Cat to earn his second career stakes victory.
- “The plan was to sit right in behind the speed and that’s what we did,” said jockey Jose Caraballo, who rode Blue Violet to victory in the Lady’s Secret for fillies and mares three and up at Monmouth. “In the stretch, the inside opened and when they did that they gave me the race.” One component of that speed was 3-10 My Miss Sophia, who put a head in front rounding the far turn before emptying out to finish fifth. It was the first stakes victory for Blue Violet, who’d been stakes-placed two previous times.
- Quality Lass led ’em every step of the way to post an 8-1 upset of the $200,000 Turf Amazon Monday at Parx, just holding off Joya Real, who broke sluggishly. Local rider John Bisono earned the win, which was the second in stakes company for the five-year-old mare. Favored Jewel of a Cat was third.
- The story of the Grade 3 Greenwood Cup at Parx on Monday was the story of Cary Street‘s trip. Under jockey Miguel Mena, the five-year-old son of Smarty Jones was able to secure an inside position early and use it to best advantage late. Cary Street took the short route all the way ’round, stalking the pace from a few lengths back, then shooting up the rail to inch past Ever Rider and earn a one-length victory. He rewarded his relatively few backers with a $59.80 payoff in earning his first stakes win in his first stakes try. Even-money favorite Micromanage was third.
- “Protonico, yes, sir!” called Parx Racing track announcer Keith Jones at the wire in Monday’s Grade 3 Smarty Jones Stakes. The three-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway was miles the best in this one, enduring a tough trip that seemed to leave him with no chance before ducking in, then out, then finishing strongly to beat Classic Giacnroll and favored Albano. Protonico’s prior start had been a runner-up effort to V.E. Day in the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga; that runner had won the Grade 1 Travers in his follow-up effort.
- “It’s been an unbelievable weekend,” trainer Eddie Plesa, Jr. said on Sunday, and he wasn’t kidding. The veteran conditioner took both of Monmouth’s top juvenile events Sunday, winning the Sorority for the fillies with Concealedwithakiss, Angel Serpa up, and the Sapling with Souper Colossal, win machine Paco Lopez doing the riding honors. Both horses won in front-running fashion, and both are undefeated, with the filly two-for-two and the colt three-for-three. “She’s a really good filly, really fast.” said Serpa of Concealedwithakiss, a daughter of Political Force. As for Souper Colossal, a son of War Front who’s already won two stakes, Plesa said, “He sure showed that he’s a classy horse with a bright future.”
Weekend Notes…
Sharp Sensation upsets the Grade 3 Turf Monster at Parx. Photo by Bill Denver / EQUI-PHOTO
Two from the latest Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll ran this weekend. Sent off as the favorite in the Grade 2 Prioress at Saratoga, Miss Behaviour, second among three-year-olds in the poll, tracked a fast pace set by Stonetastic, made a bid towards that one after a half-mile but could not go on with her in the lane. Pennsylania-bred Miss Behaviour, trained in Maryland by Phil Schoenthal, held second by a neck, though well behind the winner. She now has a seasonal record of 5-1-3-1, and the placing pushed her earnings just north of $500,000.
- The other was Ben’s Cat, the eight-year-old Maryland-bred gelding. Rated number two among older horses, he rallied gamely but could not catch Sharp Sensation and settled for second in the Grade 3 Turf Monster at Parx. His seasonal record is now 5-3-1-0, and the $303,350 he’s earned has pushed his career number north of $2.1 million for owner/trainer/breeder King Leatherbury.
- Two other Midlantic-breds were slated to try Saturday stakes at Saratoga. Maryland-bred Who’s In Town didn’t make much impact in the Prioress, finishing fifth; and Pennsylvania-bred Falling Sky was scratched from the Grade 1 Forego later on the card.
- On Monday, a single horse bred in the region, Pennsylvania-bred Predicting, tackled a Spa stake. Sent off at 57-1 in the Grade 3 Saranac for three-year-olds on the turf, Predicting was never much involved and finished seventh (and last).
- Parx Racing generated more than $2.8 million in handle for its 12-race Monday card, which featured four stakes, three graded. The day marked the kickoff to the track’s “September to remember.”
(Featured photo by Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO.)
