Weekend’s mid-Atlantic stakes winners

The weekend’s mid-Atlantic stakes winners…

Grade 1 Haskell Invitational, Monmouth Park

 

• American Pharoah
  
• trained by Bob Baffert
• ridden by Victor Espinoza
• owned by Zayat Stables LLC
• Storyline: Go here to read more.

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Grade 2 Monmouth Cup, Monmouth Park

 

• Bradester
• trained by Eddie Kenneally
• ridden by Corey Lanerie
• owned by Joseph W. Sutton
• Storyline: Benefiting from the post-time scratch of favorite Protonico, Bradester registered a front-running, 2 3/4 length score in the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup Sunday over the hard-trying Valid.  It was the Eddie Kenneally trainee’s second straight graded victory over the Oceanport strip.  “He loves Monmouth,” Kenneally said, later adding, “[O]ur horse scored a decisive victory. He relaxed on the front end and had a lot left for the stretch drive.”  Bradester, a son of Lion Heart, has now won seven of 19 starts and earned $677,732.

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Grade 3 Oceanport Stakes, Monmouth Park

• Heart to Heart
  
• trained by Brian Lynch
• ridden by Victor Espinoza
• owned by Terry Hamilton
• Storyline: Victor Espinoza made himself right at home in New Jersey Sunday, taking this graded event as a prelude to his later win on American Pharoah in the Haskell.  Aboard Heart to Heart, he zipped to the lead and showed the way throughout, ultimately fending off his rivals by 1 1/2 lengths while covering 1 1/16 miles over firm turf in 1:40.79.  Heart to Heart has now earned three graded stakes victories among his six wins and earned $453,307.

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Grade 3 Matchmaker Stakes, Monmouth Park

• Casual Smile
• trained by Chad Brown
• ridden by Abel Castellano, Jr.
• owned by W. S. Farish
• Storyline: Chad Brown-trained Casual Smile closed sharply under Abel Castellano to earn her first stakes victory in the Grade 3 Matchmaker, stopping the clock in 1:47.12 for nine furlongs.  The four-year-old, British-bred daughter of Sea the Stars didn’t break her maiden until her ninth career start but has now won three straight races and pushed her career earnings to $151,845.  “I had a lot of confidence going into the stretch with a lot of horse left,” Castellano said. “I found a very small hole between horses to get through and had a lot of faith in my horse that she would get through.”  The top two wagering choices, even-money I’m Already Sexy and 5-2 Testa Rossi, occupied the place and show spots.

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Teddy Drone Stakes, Monmouth Park

• Wildcat Red
  
• trained by Jose Garoffalo
• ridden by Paco Lopez
• owned by Honors Stable Corp.
• Storyline: Leading local rider Paco Lopez and Wildcat Red sat off the torrid early pace of Delta Bluesman, bid up three wide on the turn, and just got the win in a head-bobbing finish with Stallwalkin’ Dude.  Delta Bluesman held third, less than a length behind the winner.  “He’s a fighter,” said Lopez of the four-year-old son of D’Wildcat.  “He can go inside, he can go outside, and he was okay going in between those horses. He’s got a lot of heart, he’s a really nice horse.”  Wildcat Red, who has won two graded stakes, ran 18th in last year’s Kentucky Derby and was third in the Grade 1 Haskell over the strip.  He’s won six of 16 starts, and the winner’s share pushed his career earnings into seven-figure territory at $1,020,875.

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Lady’s Secret Stakes, Monmouth Park

• Got Lucky
  
• trained by Todd Pletcher
• ridden by Paco Lopez
• owned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings Inc. and Philip Steinberg
• Storyline: Got Lucky, a four-year-old daughter of A. P. Indy, posted a flashy 4 1/2 length score to notch her second win of the Monmouth meet. She previously had won the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher after finishing second in the Monmouth Beach.  She’s won five of 14 starts with career earnings of $511,340.  “She’s at the top of her game right now,” said Anthony Sciametta, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher.  “Paco fits her real well and they seem to get along.”  Early leader Power of Snunner gamely held second.

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Regret Stakes, Monmouth Park

• Room for Me
  
• trained by David Jacobson
• ridden by Daniel Centeno
• owned by David Jacobson
• Storyline: Five-year-old Room for Me, who dropped to the $20,000 claiming ranks to break her maiden, landed her first stakes victory in Saturday’s $75,000 Regret Stakes at Monmouth Park, blitzing the field in the six furlong event by 5 3/4 lengths in a sharp 1:09.38.  She was the 3-2 favorite.  “She broke good and had a clean trip,” said winning rider Daniel Centeno.  “At the quarter-pole, when I put her outside I had plenty of horse.”  Room for Me has now won eight of 17 starts and earned $288,400.

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