For Immediate Release: Wednesday, September 10, 2014

WINNING CAUSE HEADS SATURDAY’S PRESIDENT’S CUP AT PARX

Saturday Parx Racing will host the $200,000 PTHA President’s Cup, a one mile and one-eighth turf test for three year-olds and up. The President’s Cup is the track’s premier race for males running long on the grass. The 2014 edition features some of the nation’s top turf outfits.

The 6-5 morning line favorite is Alto Racing’s Winning Cause. The 4 year-old Giant’s Causeway colt will break from the inside gate in the short five horse field and will look to win his second consecutive stake. He’s coming off a terrific performance that saw him rally from just off the pace to win the $100,000 G3 Cliffhanger Stakes at Monmouth Park last month. The win was his first win of the season although he’s been very competitive against quality opposition. Racing at Monmouth Park this spring and summer, he’s been second in the G3 Red Bank, third in the G2 Monmouth Stakes and fourth beaten only a length and a half in the G1 United Nations. Eddie Castro, who was on board for the Cliffhanger win, will ride for Todd Pletcher.

Opening as the second choice at 3-1 is Augustin Stable’s Holiday Star. In his last start on August 6th at Saratoga, the 4 year-old gelded son of Harlan’s Holiday was denied his first stakes victory coming up a nose short in the $100,000 John’s Call. He finished a length in front of Winning Cause that day, who would settle for fourth, a beaten favorite. The only other stakes appearance for Holiday Star this year came in July at Delaware Park where he ran third in the $50K Cape Henlopen, finishing behind eventual Arlington Million winner, Hardest Core. Trainer Graham Motion has named Eriluis Vaz to ride.

Lael Stable’s Margano looks to be another contender. The 5 year-old gelded son of Dynaformer will be making just the second start of the season for trainer Arnaud Delacour. Following a seventh place finish last September in the $50K With Anticipation Stakes at Delaware, he sat out eleven months before returning this August 21st to a fourth in a high level optional claimer also over the Delaware course. If he’s able to move forward off that last race, he could well contend with the top two come Saturday. Kendrick Carmouche picks up the ride.