- Bern Identity — My Frenchman S. (MTH)
- Trained by Kelly Breen for George and Lori Hall
- Souper Collosal — Tyro S. (MTH)
- Trained by Edward Plesa, Jr. for Live Oak Plantation[/boxify]
In weekend stakes action…
- Heavily favored Souper Collosal zipped five furlongs on the dirt in 57.75 seconds to throttle a field of six in the Tyro Stakes at Monmouth. The event, originally scheduled for the turf, is for two-year-olds. He pressed the early pace set by Guderian through a quarter-mile in 21.99, then took over en route to a 3 3/4 length victory. Secured Position was along for second, while Reid the News held third. Souper Colossal has won both of his starts to date. “I thought he did everything we asked of him and he did it in a nice fashion,” said winning trainer Eddie Plesa, Jr. “You have to love his pedigree (War Front-Soaring Emotions, by Kingmambo). We thought he would be a win early horse and he sure is.”
- In Monmouth’s Saturday feature, the My Frenchman, Bern Identity proved much the best, powering to a four-length score over Heaven’s Runway. The win, in a 5 1/2 furlong event taken off the turf, was his third in stakes company. “It’s been a long time since I’ve sat on something that good.,” said winning rider Chuck Lopez. “I didn’t think we’d be up that close early, but he was ready to go right from go. At the ¼ pole I stepped on the gas and he just took off. I was super impressed.”
Bern Identity rolls through the gloaming to win the My Frenchman at Monmouth. Photo By Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO
Weekend Notes…
- Two horses in the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred/The Racing Biz Top Midlantic-bred Poll saw action this weekend:
- Miss Behaviour, rated fourth among three-year-olds, gave a good accounting of herself in the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga. Never far back while three wide, Miss Behaviour ran on willingly through the lane to earn the place in a three-horse photo for that position. Favored Sweet Reason rallied from towards the rear to win the event. Miss Behaviour now has a first, two seconds, and a third from four tries this year with seasonal earnings of $200,000.
- Delaunay, fourth among older horses, ran third at odds-on in the Sen. Robert C. Byrd Memorial at Mountaineer on Saturday. He stalked the pace set by Star Harbour but could never get by; Mico Margarita rallied from fifth to get the win, while Star Harbour held the place. Delaunay is 6-2-2-1 this year with earnings of $172,005.
- The two horses leading the nation in wins through today are both based in the mid-Atlantic. Handsup Moneydown has won nine times from 12 starts this year to lead the nation, and all but one of those starts came at Parx Racing. The five-year-old Sharp Humor gelding is trained by Ramon Preciado, who also owns him. He has one more win than Singing My Way, who has a seasonal record of 11-8-2-0. The son of Wilko, who’s trained by Michael Gorham for Hector Sarmiento, has won at four different tracks this year: Laurel, Pimlico, Charles Town, and, most recently, Penn National.
- Monmouth-based jock Paco Lopez had, unusually, only one mount on Saturday. That was because he went to Saratoga to ride Itsmyluckyday for trainer Eddie Plesa, Jr. Itsmyluckyday finished second there in the Grade 1 Whitney. Lopez returned to Monmouth on Sunday with a bang: four victories from seven mounts, including a win in the featured Tyro aboard speedy juvenile Souper Colossal. “I know this horse well and knew he was the one to beat and I rode him that way,” Lopez said. “He stumbled just a bit out of the gate but we were right up on the pace quickly. He was impressive today.”
