Yesterday and today: July 18 racing highlights
Pool Winner. Photo by The Racing Biz.
From Staff Reports
YESTERDAY’S NEWS: JUVENILES TAKE CENTER STAGE AT LAUREL
Two-year-olds were prominent yesterday at Laurel Park, as a pair of maiden special weight tests for juveniles went off as races one and three. Both were 5 1/2 furlong turf sprints.
In the first, for the boys, Greatbullsoffire outslugged favorite Caribou Club to score a neck decision in 1:02.99. Greatbullsoffire, under Victor Carrasco, went straight to the lead early, was confronted by his rival near the eighth pole, and repelled that bid.
Trained by Hamilton Smith for owner Kathleen Willier, Greatbullsoffire entered the race with three consecutive bullet works and was sent off as the 4.40-1 third choice in the field of seven. The Great Notion gelding was bred in Maryland by Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds LLC.
In the third, for fillies, Advert and jockey Tyler Conner made a sweeping four wide move to run past her rivals and romp to a 3 1/2 length win in 1:03.40. Bighearted Nana was second, with favored Sister Nation in third. Advert paid $30.80 to win and topped a $391.40 exacta.
Advert, a daughter of Lonhro, is trained by Bernie Houghton for Barlar LLC. Barlar LLC also bred her, in Pennsylvania.
[su_divider top=”no” style=”double” size=”9″]BY THE NUMBERS
- HANDLE:
- Laurel Park: $2,119,319
- Monmouth Park: $3,069,997
- Parx Racing: $827,813
- CLAIMS:
- Laurel Park: 1
- Monmouth Park: 3
- Parx Racing: 6
- MULTIPLE WINNERS
- JOCKEYS
- Kevin Gomez, 2 wins at Laurel
- Victor Carrasco, 2 wins at Laurel
- Nik Juarez, 2 wins at Monmouth
- Victor Lebron, 2 wins at Monmouth
- Jose Ferrer, 2 wins at Monmouth
- Frankie Pennington, 2 wins at Parx
- TRAINERS
- Jason Servis, 2 wins at Monmouth
- Jorge Navarro, 3 wins at Monmouth
- JOCKEYS
LOOK AHEAD: TODAY’S RACING
- Tracks in action today: Delaware Park, Parx Racing.
- A big field is set to go postward in Delaware Park’s seventh race, a $36,000 allowance test for fillies and mares going 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf. Shug McGaughey trainee Virgo Rising (3-1), who made her first North American race a winning one over the strip a month ago, is the morning line favorite and will have Carol Cedeno in the irons. Her top rival in a wide-open contest looks to be Arnaud Delacour trainee Ballinskelligs (4-1), whose last, in Gulfstream Park’s Honey Ryder Stakes, was not good but who certainly showed promise when winning at first asking at Tampa in April. Delacour is hitting at 48 percent at Delaware (10 for 21), and he has teamed up with jock Daniel Centeno to win five of 11 tries in the last 60 days.
- Maryland-based trainer Jose Corrales enjoyed his last trip to Delaware so much — his Bodhisattva won the Carl Hanford Memorial Stakes — that he’s trying it again today, with Secret Garden (8-1) in the sixth, a $38,000 allowance sprint on the main track. The Weigelia mare will have Taylor Hole up. Marcos Zulueta trainee To the Flag (9-5) is favored after thrashing allowance foes at Parx Racing two back.
- A pair of $50,000 maiden special weight contests highlight Parx Racing’s Monday card, both for older fillies and mares. In race six, going one mile 70 yards on the turf, Graham Motion trainee Flower Valley (5-2) is the lukewarm favorite off a good try against Belmont Park maidens. In the seventh, six furlongs on the main track, Michael Matz’s Candy Sioux (5-2) is favored; she most recently was second against similar at Delaware Park.
