Vim won an allowance at Laurel Park on March 20. Photo by The Racing Biz.
From Staff Reports
YESTERDAY’S NEWS: H R EXPRESS IMPRESSES IN MAIDEN SCORE
Being a two-year-old apparently didn’t agree with H R Express. Or maybe it was the warm California sun.
Whatever it was, the now-three-year-old son of Decarchy was winless in three juvenile tries, finishing third, fourth, and, on December 17, tenth at Los Alamitos.
Now, though, based at Parx Racing and racing for trainer Louis Linder, Jr., H R Express seems to be doing just fine, thanks.
He didn’t start this season until March 17, when he ran second in $40,000 maiden claiming company to Atizapan, and while he was a dozen lengths in arrears of that runner, he was also five clear of the third-place finisher.
Tuesday, in another $40,000 maiden claimer — this one stretched out to 6 1/2 furlongs — H R Express disputed the early pace set by Proud Flyer, pushing that one through a quarter mile in 23.42 seconds before putting a head in front after a half mile in 47.35.
Let out rounding the turn, H R Express widened willingly, stretching the lead out to five before strolling home 4 3/4 lengths clear. Quiet Revenge was second, while Edge of Patience rallied from well back into third.
Piloted by Edwin Rivera, H R Express’ running time for 6 1/2 furlongs on the fast main track was 1:19.50. That was faster than older maiden special weight runners completed the distance one race later.
ALSO…
- Trainer Patricia Farro won three on the day. She took the day’s lid-lifter when Clowney delivered a 27-1 upset, then won the featured allowance test with Runs for Luck and the nightcap with Mine o’ Mine. Pierre Hernandez-Ortega was aboard for two of those three wins. Farro is second at Parx by wins (nine) and earnings ($287,611) but is well behind leader Ramon Preciado in both categories.
LOOKING AHEAD: TODAY’S RACING
- It sure seems a long time ago that Combat Diver was on the extreme fringe of the Triple Crown trail. A year ago this time, the Maryland-bred Line of David colt was second a nose in the Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel Park, and then-trainer Gary Contessa had designs on accruing enough points to run in the Kentucky Derby. This evening — three claims later — he is the 8-5 morning line favorite in a 1 1/16 mile allowance test at Charles Town Races (race 7). Now in the Wayne Potts barn, he’ll have Victor Carrasco in the irons.
- Shippers are favored in a pair of PA-bred allowance races at Penn National this evening. Kelly Breen sends out Rowd E Allie (7-5) in race five. The E Dubai filly was second against allowance rivals at Aqueduct two back, and jockey Frankie Pennington comes in for the race. In the next race, John Servis ships Someday Jones (3-1) in from his Parx base. The Smarty Jones colt won against Parx maiden special weight rivals at first asking.
