5/16/15  Post Time 6:55

RACE 17 PIM      The PRK (GI)

$1,500.000      3yo      1  3/16m     Dirt

In real life, it poured…  here at HRP, the skies opened up.  Drawing in from the AE list and sent off at 17/1 odds, Sanny Village’s A One looked on the form as not much more than another horse in the gate… a wing and a prayer… the condiment to the steak.  In the end, he was prime, choice, grade A and the winner of the 2015 PRK Stakes (GI) here at Old Hilltop in Baltimore, MD., sitting off of the pace early, picking off foes one-by-one and kicking clear late to win by a length in a final time of 1:54.63 for the mile and three-sixteenths distance.  Dominant Speed, sent off at 13/1, was second, and Prince Of Monaco, a 27/1 long-shot was third.

The full field of fourteen sophomores loaded up in front of the fans here at PIM and were away with with the ring of the bell.  Prince Of Monaco away quickest of all, Jack The Flipper right next to that one, Mars from the far outside.  Pinnacle West, Lukas Duke next to him, then Dominant Speed towards the inside.  Chrystal Pip, KY Derby Winner King Cobra, then Viking Shield towards the rail.  A One, King Rioja, Son Of Laggy, rail Slide and Unsuited was the early trailer.

Under the wire the first time buy and dashing off into the clubhouse turn, they had six and a half furlongs to run and Mars cleared the field and crossed over to the rail, leading by a length and a half.  King Rioja five wide and second, Prince Of Monaco along the inside and just off of that one.  Another length to Jack The Flipper, Lukas Duke and Pinnacle West on the rail, that trio together, then another length to King Cobra, Dominant Speed and A One just in behind him.  Another lengths to Chrystal Pip Rail Side a bit wide and a length behind that one, then Viking Shield on the rail, Rail Slide caught wide, Son Of Laggy between horses and Unsuited still at the back of the field.

Now making their way down the back stretch and past the half mile marker, Mars continuing to show the way by a length.  King Rioja not letting him get away, Prince Of Monaco another length back.  A gap of two back to Jack The Flipper, Lukas Duke to his inside and Pinnacle West on the rail from that trio.  Another wall of three with King Cobra, A One and Dominant Speed, two more back to Unsuited, Chrystal Pip, Son Of Laggy and Viking Speed, then Rail Slide at the back and eight lengths covered the field.

Around the far turn and to the top of the lane, just two furlongs left to run and like a Timex, the field bunched up for the run to the wire.  Prince Of Monaco now up to stick his head in front, Mars trying to dig in along the rail, King Rioja three wide and a clear run at the leaders.  Lukas Duke feeling the whip and asked to do more, then a wall of five with Pinnacle West pushing forward from the rail, Jack The Flipper down the middle of the track, King Cobra widest of all but a clear path, Dominant Speed three wide, A One five wide and now starting to extend.  Another length to Son Of Laggy, Viking Shield on the inside, Unsuited, Chrystal Pip to his outside and Rail Slide swinging out wide for the run to the wire – now just five lengths from front to back.

To the furlong marker and you could throw a blanket over them, Prince Of Monaco in front, A one down the center of the track and moving fastest of all, Mars still there and desperate for the wire, King Rioja trying to pull an upset and Lukas Duke to his inside, King Cobra wide but trying to find more to keep his TC hopes alive… then a mass of horse flesh… all trying their best to be any part of this.  The run to the wire was on… it was now or never.

Inside the final furlong and to the finish, the crowd going crazy…  A One kicked clear of Prince Of Monaco, and their was just no stopping him… this was his race and he was not going to be denied on this afternoon.  Going under the wire clear by what was listed as a length but looked more like two or three lengths, it was all about A One, the easy winner.  Dominant Speed finished well to be second, a length clear of Prince Of Monaco in third.  Son Of Laggy just nosed out Chrystal Pip for fourth then Mars in sixth, Lukas Duke in seventh, King Cobra flattening out late to be eighth.  Unsuited was ninth, Viking Shield in tenth, King Rioja in eleventh, Rail Slide twelfth, Pinnacle West thirteenth and Jack The Flipper closed it out.

A One is a 3yo gelded son of Nice Laff – Steakys Front, by Steakys Star, and he was bred in NY by Wild Aces Stable.  Acquired by Sanny Village through private sales for $140.000, this was his second win from ten starts, and he now has earnings of $1,061.800.  His final time of 1:54.63 is the second fasted PRK of all time, just .20 behind last years winner, Twisted Estate.  Congratulations to Sanny Village and A One!!

$2 Mutuel Prices:

Track: Fast        Time: :47¹  1:11   1:35⁴  1:54³
$1 Exacta: 18 – 2 Paid 108.50        $1 Trifecta: 18 – 2 – 9 Paid 2,323.00
Scratched: Divine And Broke, Im Too Confident, Port On The Horizon, Puzzle Pieces

A One broke in-hand early, between horses while under a hold, edged forward through the far turn, kicked clear with a furlong to run, won driving. Dominant Speed away well, saved ground in the two path, pushed forward through the far turn while three wide, lead, out finished.   Prince Of Monaco broke sharply, just in behind the pace, even late. Son Of Laggy taken back away from the gate, rated well between horses, closed well from the four path.  Chrystal Pip reserved from the gate, rated well, five wide turning for home, passed tiring rivals. Mars sent from the gate, set the pace to the top of the lane, headed, tired.  Lukas Duke up close early, tracked the leaders to the lane, tired. King Cobra in hand early, wide trip, swung out for the drive, nothing left. Unsuited off a step slowly, reserved, never fired.  Viking Shield reserved from the inside, no speed, outrun. King Rioja taken back early, up quickly while five wide through the clubhouse turn, outrun. Rail Slide away slowly, five wide through the first turn, no factor, outrun.  Pinnacle West showed good early speed, tired from his early efforts. Jack The Flipper pressed the early pace, faltered.

Categories: TC 2015-2020, THE TRIPLE CROWN