Beholder crushes the boys in the Pacific Classic
Beholder turned in a masterful performance on Saturday as she crushed her male rivals in the Grade 1 $1,000,000 Pacific Classic. Sent off at odds of 2/1, Beholder (BetPTC.com Top Selection) sat a perfect garden trip in third as Bayern (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) and Midnight Storm went out and battled very hard through a punishing half mile of 45.45 seconds. Beholder and Gary Stevens made their move at the three eighths pole and blew right by the two early pacesetters and opened up with ease as they came into the stretch. Beholder poured it on down the lane and won by eight and a quarter lengths over Catch a Flight (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) who rallied late to finish second.
In the Del Mar Handicap it was Big John B (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) who flew from last early on to score by a length and a half. Sent off as the 2/1 second choice, Big John B was nearly nine lengths back off early leader Little Jerry early on. Ashleyluvssugar (BetPTC.com Top Selection) grabbed the lead at the top of the lane, but Big John B had all the momentum late and edged clear late to win by a length and a half over Ashleyluvssugar. In the Pat O’Brien Stakes it was Appealing Tale (BetPTC.com Top Selection) who went gate to wire to score a grade 2 win. Sent off as the 6/5 favorite, Appealing Tale and Joe Talamo went right to the lead and were able to get through an unhurried opening quarter of 23.34 seconds. Wild Dude (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) took a run at Appealing Tale in mid-stretch but Appealing Tale was able to hold him off and win by half a length.
Embellish the Lace goes all the way to win the Alabama
Embellish the Lace never gave her rivals a chance on Saturday in the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes as she scored a big gate to wire score. Sent off at odds of 6/1, Embellish the Lace (BetPTC.com Longshot) went to the lead and kept putting up 24 and change quarters as she galloped on the lead in front of Lovely Maria. As they came to the top of the lane, Embellish the Lace and Javier Castellano gave them the slip and opened up by three lengths in mid-stretch. I’m a Chatterbox (BetPTC.com Top Selection) came chasing after her from out of the pack but came up a length and a quarter short as Embellish the Lace got the win.
In the $100,000 Troy Stakes it was Shore Runner (BetPTC.com Top Selection) who went last to first to get the win. Sent off as the 7/5 favorite, Shore Runner and Kendrick Carmouche got stuck in traffic as they tried to mount their rally. Once they got clear late though they exploded and got up to win by half a length. Summation time finished up in second with Summer Breezing finishing up in third.
Delightful Joy takes home top honors in the Monmouth Oaks
Delightful Joy had to turn in a flashy late rally to get up in time to win the Grade 3 $100,000 Monmouth Oaks on Saturday. Sent off at odds of 3/1, Delightful Joy (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) was ninth early on as long shots Lady Serena and High Dollar Woman traded punches on the front end. As they came into the stretch Delightful Joy came with a wide rally and race favorite Eskenformoney (BetPTC.com Top Selection) also came flying. But it was Delightful Joy who got up in time to win by almost two lengths with Eskenformoney running second. White Clover (BetPTC.com Longshot) and Tiger Ride (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) finished third and fourth completing a BetPTC.com Superfecta worth $626 for a $1.