Yesterday and today: May 4 racing highlights

YESTERDAY’S NEWS: FIVE BREAK MAIDENS AT PARX RACING

Tuesday’s eight-race card at Parx Racing — the only track in the region with live racing yesterday — had just 50 runners (6.25 horses per race), but it did offer five horses the opportunity to break their maidens.

Awesome Alex took the day’s top maiden event, a maiden special weight for Pennsylvania-breds, when he rallied from fifth to win by a half-length under Frankie Pennington.  The John Servis trainee, sent off as the 6-5 second choice, had failed in his first nine starts before earning his diploma yesterday.  Favored Grit’n’grind finished third.

That race, the third of the day, was one of four consecutive maiden races to start the day.  Battendownthhatchs started the day with a bang under Jose Flores, rolling to a three-length win at 13-1 odds in a $15,000 maiden claimer.  In the next, Sour Lemon Drop, the 6-5 favorite, broke her maiden easily at the same level.  And in the fourth, East English Girl made her debut a winning one for controversial trainer Ramon Preciado, scoring by a half-length as the favorite in $10,000 maiden claiming company.

Shift Change completed the day of maidens by taking the sixth by four lengths for trainer John McCaslin.

ALSO…

• She’s Holy scored an 8-1 upset in the day’s only allowance contest.  Under Angel Castillo, She’s Holy romped home seven clear for trainer Philip Aristone.  The Californa-bred daughter of Ministers Wild Cat has now won eight of 35 career starts, and her win pushed her past $200,000 in career earnings.
• Trainer Patricia Farro scored twice on the day, taking the second with Sour Lemon Drop and the fifth, a claiming contest, with a determined rally by Plymouth Square.  Farro leads all trainers in Bensalem with 27 wins this year.
• Lovelibuzz broke down in the fourth race and was euthanized.