The M. P. Ballezzi Appreciation Mile, scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 21, drew a field of eight seasoned runners. The annual race is named in honor of the late Michael Ballezzi who, for twenty five years, was the executive director of the PTHA, Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association. An attorney, he was an advocate for horsemen and was instrumental in the passage of the PA Race Horse Development Act which helped legalize slot machines and set aside a portion of the revenue for purses, breeding awards, and health care and pension benefits for horsemen. He founded Turning for Home which helps rehome retired race horses, and he was inducted into the Parx Racing Hall of Fame in 2014. He passed away in 2022.
Kim Pratt Photo
Favorites for the Ballezzi Mile include Adero, Awesome Flay, and Film Star. For the second year in a row, trainer John Servis entered stablemates Adero and Irish Cork. Five year old stakes winner Adero won over $400,000, and eight year old Irish Cork, the oldest horse in the race, won over $500,000. “Both horses are doing great,” said Servis. “They each have different running styles, so hopefully, the race will set up for one of them.”
Others in the race include Duke of Gloucester at 5/1 who was fourth in the Parx Dirt Mile Stakes last out, and Awesome Flay at 9/2.
Kim Pratt Photo
Two stakes races on Wednesday, Oct. 22 highlight PA bred and PA sired horses, the Disco Chick and the Jump Start Stakes. Aoifi’s Magic is back in the $75,000 Disco Chick for fillies and mares three and up going seven furlongs. The four year old multiple stakes winner by Smarty Jones will make her second start of the year after a fourteen month lay-up. “She’s doing great after her last race when she was second first time out this year,” explained trainer David Dotolo. “She’s such a nice filly. She’s working and training the same as before. She has three screws in her knee, and we gave her a long time off. She went to Florida for a month to start jogging before she came back to the track. We’re excited to have her back and doing great,” said Dotola.
Other horses in the race include Pachelbel, just claimed by trainer Michael Moore for $100,000 in her last race and a winner of half a million, and Butch Reid’s Confirmed Star. Stallions represented in the race include several by Pennsylvania’s top two stallions, Warrior’s Reward and Uptowncharlybrown.
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The Jump Start Stakes, $75,000 for three year olds and up at seven furlongs, drew a field of nine talented PA breds including three trained by Bernie Houghton including Houghton Shuffle. Houghton Shuffle won the $100,000 Page McKenney Handicap on June 15 at Parx Racing and has six wins in fourteen starts. He faces the oldest in the field, seven year old Far Mo Power, winner of over $600,000 and fifth in this year’s Parx Dirt Mile. Other contenders include Butch Reid’s Ninetyprcentmaddie, winner of the Storm Cat Stakes at Parx last out, and Jamie Ness trained Wild Vine, second in the Storm Cat Stakes last out.
The Pennsylvania bred series for PA bred and PA sired horses awards extra bonuses to horses that are sired by Pennsylvania stallions. The breeder’s program rewards the best horses, breeders, and owners in the state.
Cover Photo Credit to Kim Pratt
