Page McKenney favored in Mountainview
Page McKenney won the Native Dancer Stakes. Photo by Laurie Asseo.
From a Penn National release
A half-dozen older horses will race for $200,000 in the Mountainview Handicap presented by HollywoodRaces.com this Saturday at Penn National as a part of the track’s Penn Mile card. Popular Mid-Atlantic gelding Page McKenney stands as the 9-5 morning line favorite in the 1 1/8 mile test.
Now seven-years-old, Page McKenney has been the model of consistency over the years, amassing over $1.5 million in earnings and a 47-18-14-4 record. Hampered by minor injuries over the winter months, the son of Eavesdropper was off for two months following a second place finish in the John Campbell at Laurel Park but most recently rebounded to take the $100,000 Lyman Stakes at Parx on April 29.
Regular pilot Horacio Karamanos will be aboard for trainer Mary Eppler.
Todd Pletcher saddles Madefromlucky who comes into the Mountainview winless since taking the 2015 West Virginia Derby. His company lines are impressive though as his third place finish in the Essex at Oaklawn came behind Grade 1 and multiple graded stakes winner Mor Sprit while a troubled trip in the Poseidon left him third behind Imperative and stablemate Stanford.
Javier Castellano rides Madefromlucky who is the 2-to-1 second choice on the morning line.
Dave Cannizzo sends out Virtual Machine who flashed an affinity for Aqueduct this winter breaking his maiden by 8 1/2 lengths in his eighth career start and following it up with a first level allowance win where he aired by more than 9 lengths. Chris DeCarlo was in the irons for a runner up effort behind Connect in the Winchester (G3) last out and will be aboard once again on Saturday.
A highly thought of three-year-old in 2016, Lady Sheila Stable’s Matt King Coal took home the largest paycheck of his career with a runner up effort in the Charles Town Classic (G2) on April 22. Prior to that, he started off the year with back to back wins including the Harrison Johnson Memorial at Laurel Park in March. Irad Ortiz is reunited with the four-year-old Linda Rice trainee who is 7-to-2 on the morning line.
Discreet Lover and Whatsthequestion complete the Mountainview lineup. The Mountainview is set as Race 8 on the Penn Mile card and is scheduled to go postward at 7:10 P.M. EST.
For handicapping and analysis of the Mountainview, please click here.
