Nasa rolls in the slop to win the Pennsylvania Nursery. Photo By Bill Denver / EQUI-PHOTO
Eleven years after Smarty Jones romped to a 15-length victory in the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes, Smarty’s owner Pat Chapman was back in the Parx Racing winner’s circle hugging his trainer, John Servis.
The reason: Smarty’s son Nasa, who notched a 2 1/4 length victory in that same race on Saturday.
Chapman, who owned Smarty Jones with her husband Roy, bred Nasa, a colt by Smarty Jones out of the unraced Seattle Slew mare Shootforthestars. Nasa runs in the colors of Chapman’s Someday Farm.
Owner Pat Chapman embraces Trainer John Servis (R) after her homebred Nasa won the $100,000 Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes. Photo By Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO.
Nasa may not be a new version of Smarty Jones — he’s already lost twice in four starts, while Smarty only lost once in nine — but on Saturday he proved clearly best.
On a sloppy, sealed track, Nasa, under Kendrick Carmouche, shot to the lead once the gates opened and didn’t look back. He held a length lead through a half-mile in 46.14 seconds and gradually stretched it to the final margin in a seven-furlong race run in 1:24.67. A pair of longshots — Instructor Kunu and Blitzensmajikreign — took the place and show spots among the nine Pennsylvania-breds.
It was Nasa’s second win, and first stakes win, in four career starts. He’s now earned a shade over $99,000.
