Frosted wins the Pennsylvania Derby
Frosted displayed his class on Saturday afternoon at Parx as he easily took home the top prize in the $1,000,000 Pennsylvania Derby. Sent off as the even money favorite, Frosted (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) stalked from midpack early on as Mr. Z doled out the early fractions, getting through an opening half mile in 48.50 seconds. Iron Fist took the first shot at Mr. Z as they ran on the turn and took the lead, but that lead was short lived as Frosted and Joel Rosario finally got some room and burst through to the lead and never looked back. Frosted edged clear down the lane to win by two lengths over Iron Fist who was eight lengths clear of third place finisher Tommy Macho.
In the $1,000,000 Grade 1 Cotillion it was I’m a Chatterbox (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) who got the victory. Sent off as the 2/1 slight favorite, I’m a Chatterbox and Florent Geroux were fourth early on as 22/1 Calamity Kate (BetPTC.com Longshot) set the pace, which was fairly strong. Calamity Kate turned for home in front but I’m a Chatterbox loomed up and grabbed the lead in mid-stretch and pulled away to win by two lengths over Calamity Kate in the end. Trouble Kid held off Limousine Liberal (BetPTC.com Top Selection) to win the Gallant Bob Stakes. Trouble Kid blasted out to the lead under jockey Joshua Navarro while Limousine Liberal chased from second. Limousine Liberal slowly started to gain ground down the stretch, but Trouble Kid found the wire a neck in front to get the win.
Encryption crushed his rivals in the Bayern Stakes. Encryption broke well and was positioned in second early just behind Grasshoppin who went out to the early lead. Paco Lopez said go on Encryption who opened up down the lane to win with ease by six and a quarter lengths. In the Alphabet Soup Handicap it was Uncle Dave who went all the way on the lead, holding off a very game entry in the form of Beyond Smart and Forward Thinker who ran second and third just a nose apart.
Return to Grace returns to the winner’s circle; takes the Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs
Return to Grace drew the far outside but it didn’t matter as she won a hard fought edition of the $200,000 Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs. Sent off at 9/2, Return to Grace (BetPTC.com Top Selection) was midpack early on and made a five wide move as they came to the head of the long Kentucky Downs homestretch. She got to the lead with a furlong to go but had to hold off a late charge from Queen of the Scat who emerged as the late threat. But Return to Grace held on and scored by a length and a half at the wire ahead of Queen of the Scat. Modernstone scored a huge 29/1 upset in the Ladies Marathon Stakes. She rallied from off the pace and battled with Courtesan (BetPTC.com Top Selection) for the final furlong, eventually getting up for the win. At 29/1, Modernstone was more than triple the price of any other horse in the race.
Kiss Moon outdueled a very game I’m Already Sexy (BetPTC.com Top Selection) to get the win in the Ladies Turf Stakes. Sent off at 5/1, Kiss Moon split runners as they came into the stretch and put a half length on I’m Already Sexy at the eighth pole. But I’m Already Sexy dug in and battled back, but came up a neck short of Kiss Moon at the finish line. In the One Dreamer Stakes it was Rusty Slipper and James Graham who took home top honors, beating A Little Bit Sassy (BetPTC.com Top Selection) by a head.
Hot City Girl all the way in the Charles Town Oaks
Hot City Girl went to the lead and never looked back as she scored a two and a half length win in the $350,000 Charles Town Oaks on Saturday night. Sent off at odds of 7/1, Hot City Girl and Jose Ortiz wasted no time going to the lead and got only mild pressure from long shot Toutsie Rules. Hot City Girl kept the challengers at bay into the lane and started to pull away late, winning by two and a half lengths at the finish. Temper Mint Patty (BetPTC.com Top Selection) got up to run second ahead of Toutsie Rules who finished third. Race favorite Sarah Sis finished last of the six runners.
One Go All Go with a shocker in the Commonwealth Derby
One Go All Go was dismissed in the wagering at 35/1, but when he hit the wire in front he made his few backers some serious money. One Go All Go and jockey Ronald Hisby went right to the lead early on and kept a two length advantage for much of the early going. The heavy favorite Force The Pass (BetPTC.com Top Selection) tried to make a run in mid-stretch but stalled out while Fundamental flew from the back. But nobody was going to catch One Go All Go who won by a length at the finish.
In the Commonwealth Cup it was Mr. Speaker (BetPTC.com Top Selection) who scored a very strong win, rallying from just off the pace to win by a length and a half. Legendary was second with El Jefe Grande finishing up in third.