For Immediate Release: Friday, June 7, 2013
THREE YEAR-OLD FILLIES BATTLE SATURDAY IN JOSTLE STAKES
Three year-old fillies will take center stage in the Saturday afternoon feature at Parx Racing, the $75,000 Jostle Stakes. Contested at six and a half furlongs, it’s the track’s top sprint race for three year-old fillies, a race named for the multiple Grade 1 winner trained by John Servis. Back in 2000, Jostle won the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan in the spring and then went on to win two Grade 1’s in New York that summer, the Coaching Club American Oaks and the Alabama Stakes. She was an Eclipse finalist that year, losing out to Wayne Lukas trainee, Surfside.
The morning line 8-5 favorite Saturday is Big Bertha Stable’s Heart of Rome. Claimed for $16,000 at Laurel back on February 1st, the Roman Ruler filly has gotten better with each successive start. In her first start off the claim, she ran second for $25,000 despite an awkward start that found her last in the early stages. Six weeks later she rallied for second again behind a runaway winner when she was entered for $45,000. Her most recent start on May 17th was her best yet. In for $50,000, she stayed closer to the pace then in her previous races and rallied late to win by a half-length. Julian Pimentel has been named to ride for trainer Damon Dilodovico.
The 5-2 second choice is Lighthouse Bay. Owned by Richlyn Farms, Inc. and trained by George Weaver, the Speightstown filly was a stakes winning filly as a two year-old and is coming off a strong third last time out in the $100,000 Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico the day before the Preakness. She debuted last summer at Saratoga and was well regarded from the get go. Off at 5-2 in a tough maiden special weight on the grass, she ran second to a filly that dominated, going five and a half furlongs in a blistering 1:02.14. After the maiden breaking win on the main track at Belmont next time out, she closed out her freshman season with a win in the $100,000 Smart Halo Stakes at Laurel November 3rd. Top local jockey Kendrick Carmouche has picked up the mount.
Opening as third choice at 4-1 is Jack Armstrong’s Dreamingofcarmella. The Harlan’s Holiday filly, unraced at two, will be making just the fourth start of her career. She made her first start on March 3rd at Gulfstream in a $25,000 maiden claimer and swept past 11 rivals to win going away and was quickly claimed by local leading trainer Phil Aristone. After a disappointing fourth in her next start at Aqueduct, she impressed in her local debut on May 21st, breaking on top in a starter allowance and going wire to wire to win by better than three lengths. Hector Ramos again draws the riding assignment.
Completing the field are Mellonbrook and Sense of Reality (10-1 entry for Patricia Farro), My Sonata (8-1, Ron Glorioso) and Doubled (5-1, Cal Lynch).
