The 22nd annual Pennsylvania’s Day at the Races at Parx Racing took place on Monday, August 21st and featured 13 races worth over $1 million in purses, highlighted by seven $100,000 stakes. Each of the 13 races represented a different winning breeder.
The lid lifter on the PA Day card featured a $60,000 maiden special weight for two-year-old fillies. Dewey Doit, a daughter of Coal Front bred by George Elser’s Elser Farms Corp, held off the rally of heavily favored Ringer Card for a gate-to-wire 2 1/4 length score in the 5 1/2 furlong contest. Dewey Doit was a first-time starter purchased by Tilted Shamrock Racing Stable for $85,000 at this year’s OBS June Sale, and she secured the 2,000th career victory for trainer John Servis.
The second race featured juvenile colts and geldings going 5 1/2 furlongs for a $60,000 maiden purse. The longest shot on the board at 17-1, first-time starter Notice of Action took them gate-to-wire for an easy four-length victory. Bred by Bryan Minnich, the son of Hoppertunity was purchased for $15,000 as a yearling by AJ Hawthorne.
In the third race, Twist Her broke through in her third start to take the $60,000 maiden for 3yo+ fillies and mares over 7 furlongs. The daughter of Uptowncharlybrown went to the post as the odds-on favorite and romped by 9 1/2 lengths for breeder Richele Grieb.
The fourth race featured a purse of $70,000 for 3yo+ filly and mare allowance runners over 6 1/2 furlongs. Closing from 13 lengths last in the field of 11, Warrior’s Ransom circled the field and drew away for a powerful 8 3/4 length score. The daughter of Warrior’s Reward was bred by Warrior’s Reward LLC.
In the fifth race $60,000 maiden for 3yo+, last year’s Pennsylvania Nursery runner-up Veeson finally broke through in his eighth start to win the 6-furlong contest by a length. The son of Il Villano was bred and owned by Mr. And Mrs. Chuck Russo.
Stakes action kicked off in the sixth race with the $100,000 Dr. Teresa Garafalo Memorial Stakes over 6-furlongs for fillies and mares. The second longest shot in the field at 12-1, Kate Demasi-trained Mia Tosca rallied from fourth place to sweep by the dueling pair of favored Golden Tabby and Gunfyre Gal to post a 1 1/4 length upset. The 4-year-old daughter of Animal Kingdom out of Queen Scheherazade was bred by Blackstone Farm LLC and captured her first stakes win in the Dr. Teresa Garafalo Memorial. The riders up call and trophy presentation were made by Frank Farry, State Senator from Bucks County.
The Marshall Jenney Handicap was conducted over 5-furlongs on turf. Talented Man dueled with Fore Harp through the early stages before putting that rival away. Confronted by odds-on favorite Witty turning for home, Talented Man gamely held off his rival for the duration of the stretch to post a head victory. The 4-year-old son of Talent Search bagged his first stakes victory for breeder, owner, and trainer Michael Moore. The riders up call and trophy presentation were made by Kathleen Tomlinson, State Representative from Bucks County.
The first leg of the 2023 PA-Sired, PA-Bred 2yo Stallion Series for fillies kicked off with the $100,000 Miss Blue Tye Dye Stakes over 5 1/2 furlongs. Third-time starter Jody’s Ruby rallied inside frontrunner One Eyed Jackie and stablemate Sirani to post a 1 1/4 length maiden-breaking victory for trainer John Servis. The daughter of Talent Search out of the Broken Vow mare Mary Cole is bred and owned by Gilman Hallenbeck, and she’s a full sister to Hallenbeck’s stakes performer Uncle Ernie. The riders up call and trophy presentation were made by Shelby Labs, State Representative from Bucks County.
The $100,000 Banjo Picker Sprint over 6 furlongs featured a rematch between Twisted Ride, Uncle Ernie, and Beren, the top three finishers from the Page McKenney Handicap in April. Twisted Ride sat off the early pace of longshot Magicnthemoonlight before taking the lead approaching the quarter pole. Approached by Beren at the head of the stretch, Twisted Ride fought gamely to the wire to post a half-length victory over his old rival, with Uncle Ernie another seven lengths back in third. The victory was the fifth of the year and fourth career stakes victory for the son of Great Notion. Bred and owned by Kasey K Racing Stable, Twisted Ride is also owned by Final Turn Racing Stable and Michael Day. The riders up call and trophy presentation were made by Christina Sappey, State Representative from Chester County.
Gamboling Ghost wins the Whistle Pig Stakes at Parx Racing
The other half of the PA Stallion Series kicked off with the $100,000 Whistle Pig Stakes over 5 1/2 furlongs featured a field of ten colts and geldings. The early pace was set by first-time starter and longshot Chilling Hassle. Still maintaining the lead into the stretch, he was overtaken by a wide rallying Gamboling Ghost, who ended up drawing clear by three lengths at 8-1 odds. The gray son of Weigelia was no worse for wear only 12 days following his maiden-breaking effort at Presque Isle. Bred by Cindy Bartkowski and Scott Bunker, Gamboling Ghost was purchased for $9,500 as a yearling by owner and trainer Jason DaCosta.
The $100,000 Storm Cat over a mile and 70 yards featured the heaviest favorite of the day in the form of five-time stakes winner Nimitz Class. The Arrowwood Farm bred and owned colt broke from the gate at 3-5, but he proved no match for the streaking Buy Land and See. Disregarded at 5-1 off a third-place effort in the Hard Spun Stakes at Presque Isle, Buy Land and See initially sat off frontrunner Allevare before taking control by the half mile fraction. The gray son of Cairo Prince only continued to add to his advantage, turning into the stretch with a 2 1/2 length lead before finally coasting 3 1/4 lengths clear of Nimitz Class at the wire. Bred and owned by Joe Imbesi, Buy Land and See’s Storm Cat victory over the dirt followed up his victory in the With Anticipation Stakes over the grass at Penn National in June. It was his sixth lifetime stakes victory.
Wrapping up stakes action was the $100,000 Mrs. Penny over 1 1/16th miles on the grass. Featuring a field of 13 fillies and mares, the wide rallying Neecie Marie closed from 10th in the early going to take the lead from frontrunner Princess Runaway in mid-stretch. The daughter of Cross Traffic cleared away to a 2 1/4 length victory over In a Spin and Eight Danzas to notch her first stakes victory. Bred by Jon Marshall and purchased by Milam Racing Stable for $25,000 as a yearling, the 3-year-old Neecie Marie is now 4-for-6 lifetime.
A $70,000 allowance race over 6 1/2 furlongs closed out the 13-race card. Rallying from second-last, Keithsendshelloooo split rivals in the stretch to win going away by 3 1/4 lengths for his second career victory. Bred and owned by Uptowncharlybrown Stud LLC, the 3-year-old gelding is sired by the namesake stallion.
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