PRINCESS GRACE PREVAILS IN PENNY MEMORIAL

Princess Grace
Princess Grace (inside) narrowly won the G3 Dr. James Penny Memorial. Photo by Nikki Sherman/EQUI-PHOTO.

If she keeps running like this, Princess Grace might get herself upgraded to queen.

The four-year-old Karakontie filly found room along the rail and rallied to taken an exciting renewal of the Grade 3, $200,000 Dr. James Penny Memorial Stakes Tuesday afternoon at Parx Racing.

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It was Princess Grace’s fourth win in five career starts, second triumph in graded company, and first graded win on the grass. She had previously won the off-the-turf Grade 2 Mrs. Revere Stakes at Churchill Downs last November.

Under a patient Joe Bravo ride, Princess Grace bided her time in fourth through the opening six furlongs, just a couple of lengths behind longshot Glamorous Thunder. Straightening for home, Bravo was able to come between rivals before diving down to the rail.

That set up a frantic sprint to the finish, with Princess Grace to the inside and Madita, with Hector Diaz up, to the outside. Those two finished just a neck apart, Princess Grace narrowly prevailing. It was two more lengths back to show horse Platinum Paynter.

Running time for the 1 1/16 miles over firm turf was 1:41.18.

Off as the favorite, Princess Grace paid $4.00 to win and topped an exacta that returned $22.00 on a two-dollar wager.

Princess Grace, a homebred for John and Susan Moore, now has four wins from five career starts and earnings of $320,460. She’s trained at Fair Hill by Michael Stidham. Tuesday’s win was her first start of the season.

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