6/4/22

  1   BEL    The Pennie Ridge (GII)

$200.000     3yo     1 1/8m InTurf       122lbs +penalties

The Green Card hands out the exacta as Mb Stables Certified Yank shows good speed and takes The Penny Ridge (GII) by a quarter length over the Smokey Stover owned The Godfather in this mile and an eighth inner turf stakes.  The final running time was 1:453, on the firm BEL grass.  A half length back in third, rank outsider Winstorm lit up the show portion of the betting, then a half length to Just A Horse, getting the minor money.  Only two lengths covered the field in this one. 

Certified Yank is a 3yo gelded chestnut son of Bronx Bomber – Whisperred, by Commanding, and he was bred in Cal by Fractious. The dam is owned by Mb Stables, but was leased that breeding quarter, only to see this one purchased at the Mar 22 Auction for $5.440 and it’s been nothing but a Kodak moment since… three wins from three starts… and he now has as many wins from eight lifetime starts and earnings of $281.880.

Congrats to the Connections!

$2 Mutuel Prices:

Track: Firm                Time: :46³  1:09⁴  1:33²  1:45³
$1 Exacta: 2 – 1 Paid 23.10             $1 Trifecta: 2 – 1 – 6 Paid 468.00
Scratched: None

Certified Yank pressed the pace to midway down the backside, took over from there, all out to hold off inside challenger.  The Godfather stalked, moved up into the lane to engage the leader, battled down the lane, could not get to eventual winner.  Winstorm rated back well off of the pace, inched forward around the turn and into the lane, lacked room, shifted to outside, best foot too late.  Just A Horse trailed, passed tiring rivals with late interest.  Double Sided broke alertly, set the pace to midway down the back stretch, tired.  Penal Hockey Party sat in a stalking position 2p to the far turn, fanned for the drive, tired late. 

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES