Weekend’s mid-Atlantic stakes winners

The weekend’s mid-Atlantic stakes winners…

Grade 3 Parx Dash, Parx Racing

 

• Tightend Touchdown
  
• trained by Jason Servis
• ridden by Frankie Pennington
• owned by Mr. Amore Stable
• Storyline: Tightend Touchdown posted his first win in over a year when he prevailed by a head over late-running longshot Mongolian Saturday to win Saturday’s Grade 3 Parx Dash.  The six-year-old son of Pure Precision prompted the pace of speedy Bold Thunder, took over with a furlong to go, and held on for the narrow score; it was another 1 1/2 lengths back to show horse Mongol Bull, with favored Power Alert in fourth.  Fan favorite Ben’s Cat, the second choice in the field of 11, was sixth.

[su_divider top=”no” style=”double”]

Grade 3 Delaware Oaks, Delaware Park

• Calamity Kate
  
• trained by Kelly Breen
• ridden by Edgar Prado
• owned by George and Lori Hall
• Storyline: Calamity Kate blew up the Delaware Park toteboard in Saturday’s Grade 3 Delaware Oaks when she posted a front-running, 1 3/4 length score at odds of 54.40-1.  Lovely Maria, the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner who was a heavy 3-10 favorite, was a disappointing fifth.  It was Calamity Kate’s first stakes win.  “It was just a matter of being in right spot at that right time,” said trainer Kelly Breen.

[su_divider top=”no” style=”double”]

Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial, Delaware Park

• Ceisteach
  
• trained by Tom Proctor
• ridden by Channing Hill
• owned by Glen Hill Farm and Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings
• Storyline: Ceisteach, under Channing Hill, stalked a sluggish early pace before coming home sharply to post a narrow win over late-arriving Queen’s Parade to win her second consecutive stake, first in graded company.  Favored Kitten’s Point finished third.  The four-year-old New Approach filly has now won four of nine career starts and earned more than $209,000.  “She took a nice couple of deep breaths for more around the 3/8^th’s pole and she really fired turning for home,” said winning rider Channing Hill.  “She is just real game.  I still had plenty of horse left but for a second I thought Shug’s horse (Queens Parade) was going to go by me.  But she dug in and was really game.”

[su_divider top=”no” style=”double”]

Long Branch Stakes, Monmouth Park

• Stanford
  
• trained by Todd Pletcher
• ridden by Joe Bravo
• owned by Stonestreet Stables LLC, et. al.
• Storyline: Stanford, a tough luck second in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby, registered the first stakes victory of his career in Saturday’s Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park.  The 1-2 favorite, Stanford, a three-year-old son of Malibu Moon, sat second behind Souper Colossal for three-quarters of a mile before taking command and holding that rival safe by over a length.  Longshot Total Joint was a distant third.  The 1 1/16 mile Long Branch is Monmouth’s traditional last prep for the Grade 1 Haskell.  “If he comes back for the Haskell, the good thing is that we know he likes the course,” said winning rider Joe Bravo.

[su_divider top=”no” style=”double”]

Cape Henlopen Stakes, Delaware Park

• Holiday Star
  
• trained by Graham Motion
• ridden by Edgar Prado
• owned by Augustin Stable
• bred in Pennsylvania by George Strawbridge, Jr.
• Storyline: Five-year-old Holiday Star outslugged Montclair to score a narrow decision in the grassy, 12-furlong Cape Henlopen at Delaware Park Saturday.  The Cape Henlopen, a $50,000 event that last year produced G1 Arlington Million winner Hardest Core, attracted a salty group that included Holiday Star, a G3-winning son of Harlan’s Holiday, and Irish-bred Montclair, making his North American debut for trainer Christophe Clement, who made an eye-catching move to the lead before the winner surged back to earn the decision.  Holiday Star has won five of 17 career starts and earned over $231,000.

[su_divider top=”no” style=”double”]

Dashing Beauty Stakes, Delaware Park

• Galiana
  
• trained by Rodolfo Romero
• ridden by Carol Cedeno
• owned by Rodolfo Romero
• Storyline: Galiana is a good horse everywhere she goes — but at Delaware Park, she’s something special.  The five-year-old Stonesider mare posted her eighth win in nine tries over the Stanton oval in Saturday’s Dashing Beauty, pushing her career earnings past the $570,000 mark.  She bided her time a couple of lengths off the pace, in fifth and sixth place, before swinging wide and running past the leaders to post a three-quarters of a length win.  Keep Crossing earned the place, three clear of Satan’s Mistress in third.  Galiana, who has now won 14 of 27 career starts, went off as the 8-5 favorite.

[su_divider top=”no” style=”double”]

Klassy Briefcase Stakes, Monmouth Park

• Lady Shipman
  
• trained by Kathleen O’Connell
• ridden by Eduardo Nunez
• owned by Ranlo Investments LLC
• Storyline: Lady Shipman ran her record to a spotless five-for-five in short turf sprints when she posted a dazzling six length win in Sunday’s Klassy Briefcase Stakes at Monmouth Park.  The three-year-old Midshipman filly, facing her elders for the first time, zipped right to the lead and never looked back, widening over a solid group to complete the 5 1/2 furlong distance in 1:01 2/5.  “She was really impressive today,” said winning trainer Kathleen O’Connell. “I know she’s a real nice filly and taking on older horses for the first time today she really showed how good she is.”  Lady Shipman, who paid $6.60 to win, has now won six of eight starts and earned over $218,000.

[su_divider top=”no” style=”double”]