Bayern crushes Cal Chrome and others in the Pennsylvania Derby
Bayern turned in arguably the best performance of his career on Saturday when he absolutely blitzed a talented field to win the $1,000,000 Pennsylvania Derby. Sent off at odds of 7/2, Bayern (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) broke beautifully and received absolutely no pressure early on as it appeared CJ’s Awesome decided to shadow California Chrome and keep him boxed in on the rail in third. Bayern put up a 24 second opening quarter and a 47 and 4 half mile and by the time he reached the stretch, he started to lengthen his stride and it was all over, as he and Martin Garcia drew off to win by almost six lengths. Tapiture (BetPTC.com Top Selection) rallied up to finish second ahead of Candy Boy who was last early on and rallied for third. The track favored inside speed most of the day, so Candy Boy really overcame a lot to just miss second by a neck.
In the $1,000,000 Cotillion it was Untapable (BetPTC.com Top Selection) who turned in a very gutsy performance to win by a length. Rosie Napravnik put Untapable into a beautiful spot early on in third behind Jojo Warrior (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) who set the early pace. Jojo Warrior took the lead into the stretch while Untapable came right up alongside. They battled it out down the lane with Untapable finally edging clear to win by a length over Sweet Reason who closed in to finish second. In the Gallant Bob Stakes it was Favored Tale (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) who battled with Fast Anna (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) through blistering fractions and still drew off to win. The top two got through an opening half mile in 43.38 seconds before Favored Tale started to clear off to win by two and a half. Fast Anna held second while Bump Start got up for third. Favored Edge of Reality closed from just off the pace to win the Alphabet Soup Stakes by three quarters of a length over Roadhog (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection).
Miss Behaviour dominates the Charles Town Oaks
Miss Behaviour broke beautifully and went right to the lead and never looked back as she dominated the $500,000 Charles Town Oaks to win by nine and three quarters lengths. Miss Behaviour (BetPTC.com Top Selection) got to the front and surprisingly didn’t face much pace opposition early as she set moderate fractions in the six and one half furlong event. Miss Behaviour poured it on into the final furlong, opening up eleven at the top of the stretch and finally winning geared down by almost ten. Kiss To Remember (BetPTC.com 2nd Selection) rallied from off the pace
Artemis Agrotera overcomes trouble to win the Gallant Bloom
Artemis Agrotera was sent off at 2/5 odds and made her backers sweat as she didn’t get up until the final yards to win the Gallant Bloom Handicap. Taking on older runners, Artemis Agrotera (BetPTC.com Top Selection) was last early on as La Verdad went out to set the pace. La Verdad and Jose Ortiz opened up a big lead, almost four lengths clear at the eighth pole. But Artemis Agrotera overcame the five wide trip and flew down the far outside to get up and catch La Verdad in the final yards, winning by a head in the end. La Verdad was a length clear of Willet (BetPTC.com 3rd Selection) who ran third.
Thank You Marylou crushes her opponents in the Dogwood
Thank You Marylou turned the final furlong of the $100,000 Dogwood Stakes at Churchill into a procession as she powered to a huge six and one half length victory. Sent off at odds of 9/2, Thank You Marylou was prominent throughout, stalking from the outside as Mizzen Miss set a very sharp pace early on. Miguel Mena kept Thank You Marylou in the clear and she grabbed the lead at the top of the lane and just kept drawing off, opening up to win by six and a half lengths at the wire. Twenty four to one long shot Henny Jenney closed up to get second while Milam (BetPTC.com Top Selection) finished up in third.