Parx Racing held its first four stakes of 2015 on Saturday. Two — the Parx Derby and Parx Oaks (for fillies) — were for three-year-olds, and two — the Lyman and Foxy J. G. (for fillies and mares) — were for three and up.
The results:
Parx Derby
Bluegrass Singer, with Tammi Piermarini up, held off Unrivaled to win the Parx Derby. Photo by Barbara Weidl / Equi-Photo.
Bluegrass Singer stalked the pace of longshot Mr. Discreet while wide and then took command on the turn for home, opening a clear lead before holding off late-running Unrivaled. Bluegrass Singer, under Tammi Piermarini, held on to win by three-quarters of a length, with a similar distance between Unrivaled and show horse Dontbetwithbruno.
Trained by Marcus Vitali for Crossed Sabres Farm. Bluegrass Singer, a Bluegrass Cat gelding, has now won two stakes and also placed third in the Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park. He has won four of 11 career starts and earned $217,135. He reportedly is pointed to the James Murphy Stakes Preakness weekend at Pimlico.
In the first-ever running of the $75,000 Parx Derby, the running time for 1 mile 70 yards was 1:45.08.
Parx Oaks
Danzatrice and Trevor McCarthy impressed in a flashy score in the Parx Oaks. Photo by Barbara Weidl/ Equi-Photo
Danzatrice dazzled in romping to a four-length score in the first running of the $75,000 Parx Oaks. Her running time was 1:44.71 — nearly 2/5 seconds faster than the boys had covered the same ground two races earlier in the Parx Derby. And she accomplished that despite having to run into a pedestrian pace that saw favored By the Moon (7-10) lope six furlongs in 1:14.44.
Danzatrice, a daughter of Dunkirk, stalked By the Moon’s pace before putting away that rival, who as a juvenile last year posted a win in the Grade 1 Frizette and entered this event off a win in the Caesar’s Wish at Laurel Park. By the Moon held second, while Stroke Play was third in a field that was well spread out at the wire.
Trained by Cal Lynch, Danzatrice was ridden by Trevor McCarthy. She’s now won three of four career starts with a second.
Lyman Handicap
A Fleet Attitude was along in time to win the Lyman Handicap. Photo by Barbara Weidl / Equi-Photo.
In perhaps the day’s most exciting race, A Fleet Attitude and Angel Castillo flew down the center of the track to grab the leaders late and prevail in a three-horse photo to win the Lyman Handicap for Pennsylvania-breds. It was the first stakes win of the Afleet Alex gelding’s 19-race career.
Longshot Kobel set the early tempo and seemed like he might just steal away with the race, before Yougotthatgoingforu collared him at the furlong marker. But as those two slugged it out, late-running A Fleet Attitude came running five wide to win by a head over Kobel, who nosed out Yougotthatgoinforu for the place.
Bred in Pennsylvania by Charles Zacney & Tim Ritchey, A Fleet Attitude is out of the Boundary mare Lucky Lefty and sold in the 2011 Fasig-Tipton Eastern Fall Yearlings Sale for $20,000. He has won five times with 12 other in-the-money finishes from 19 starts and earned $288,955.
Foxy J. G. Stakes
Jockey Matt Rispoli was all smiles after winning the Foxy J. G. aboard Power of Snunner. Photo by Barbara Weidl / Equi-Photo.
Power of Snunner closed sharply to win the Foxy J. G. Stakes, for Pennsylvania-bred fillies and mares, by more than four lengths. Running time for the seven furlongs was 1:24.52.
It was the first career stakes win for the daughter of Power by Far-Snunner, by Yarrow Brae. She was bred — and is owned — by James Courtney, and she’s trained by Tim Kreiser.
Power of Snunner, under jockey Matt Rispoli, found herself four lengths back and in fourth after a half-mile, with Disco Chick doling out the fractions. But once set down, she took over in the lane and drew away readily to the win. Shoplift was second, and Fat Kat, who led at the eighth pole, finished third.
Power of Snunner has been in the money 17 of 19 starts, including six wins, and has earned $260,410.
