After two runner-up finishes to start her sophomore campaign, Paul Pompa Jr. homebred Regal Glory did one better in the $200,000 Penn Oaks June 1. The Animal Kingdom filly made a four-wide move and passed her rivals with ease on the Penn National Race Course turf.
Regal Glory was settled fourth of six by jockey Luis Saez as Jennifer’s Dream used the rail to take the lead. The pacesetter ticked off opening fractions of :23.04 and :47.94 through the first half-mile with Ujjayi in close pursuit in the two path. Alasaayil came up into third on their outside, leaving Regal Glory with a wide route as three-quarters of a mile went in 1:13.83.
Once straight in the stretch, Regal Glory lived up to her 1-9 favoritism and cruised to a 2 3/4-length win, completing the mile in 1:39.43 on yielding turf.
“I thought she ran huge because she was four wide basically the whole way,” said winning trainer Chad Brown. “Through no fault of the jockey, it just worked out that way from her post. I felt Luis did a good job of timing it right, and she just proved much the best that trip.
“I was very impressed with her race. I think it’s her best race to date. She ran great. We’re real happy with her. We’ll get her back home and try to plan the next move.”
“I had a lot of horse all the way. She broke pretty good; she was right there,” Saez added. “(Alasaayil) came out and took a good spot, and I just let her go because I knew I had a lot of horse for the stretch.
“She was pretty nice, pretty comfortable. When she came to the stretch and switched the lead, she was running. I was saving it. When you’re winning so easily like that, it’s better to save it for the next race.”
Alasaayil was second, 5 1/2 lengths ahead of Jennifer’s Dream, who was another five lengths ahead of Afleet Destiny. Turko Treat was another neck back. Ujjayi faded to last and was finished early.
Regal Glory was a debut winner at Belmont Park in October and scored in the Stewart Manor Stakes a month later at Aqueduct Racetrack. She first appeared as a 3-year-old in the Feb. 3 Sweetest Chant Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park but couldn’t catch A Bit Special. She then rallied from far back in the April 7 Appalachian Stakes Presented by Japan Racing Association (G2T) at Keeneland, where The Mackem Bullet proved best from just off the pace.
The Penn Oaks improved Regal Glory’s record to 3-2-0 in five starts with $274,250 in earnings.
The chestnut filly was bred in Kentucky out of the More Than Ready mare Mary’s Follies, winner of the Mrs. Revere (G2T) and Boiling Springs (G3T) stakes. Mary’s Follie’s first foal, Night Prowler, was a multiple grade 3 winner on turf with $475,682 in earnings. She also produced Casses Story, a winner of $237,892. Her American Pharoah colt sold for $475,000 at this year’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. The latest foal out of Mary’s Follies is a Candy Ride colt born in early April.
Patricia Generazio’s homebred Pure Sensation improved his Pennsylvania record to 6-0-1 from eight starts with a frontrunning victory in the $97,000 Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup Stakes. The 8-year-old Zensational gelding defeated Completed Pass by a neck and finished five furlongs on the turf in :58.03. The Florida-bred has scored three Turf Monster Handicap (G3T) victories at Parx Racing during his Pennsylvania visits.
Ballybrit Stable’s Dynatail, winner of the Penn Oaks two years ago, captured her first stakes victory since then in the $100,000 Susquehanna Stakes going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. The 5-year-old Hightail mare stalked the pace in second and needed only a hand ride by Saez to hit the wire in 1:46.12, two lengths in front.
Back in his home state, Michael Dubb, David Simon, Bethlehem Stables, and Bruce Irom’s Call Paul returned to the winner’s circle in the $104,800 Danzig Stakes for Pennsylvania-bred sophomores. The Friesan Fire colt took over early and completed six furlongs in 1:09 on a fast main track, proving six lengths the best. Call Paul won the Saratoga Special Stakes Presented by Miller Lite (G2) and the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes at 2. He kicked off this year with a win in the Swale Stakes (G3) Feb. 2 at Gulfstream Park.
2W Stables’ Bronx Beauty, another Pennsylvania-bred, kept her Penn National record perfect in four starts with a gutsy victory in the $100,000 Penn Ladies Dash Stakes. The 4-year-old Liaison filly stalked a speedy Ms Locust Point and bested the pacesetter by 1 1/2 lengths. She ran six furlongs in 1:08.57. It was the fifth stakes win for Bronx Beauty.
Uptowncharlybrown Stud and Godric’s Midtowncharlybrown proved himself another horse who thrives at Penn National, improving his record to 6-1-0 at the track. The 5-year-old son of Uptowncharlybrown bred by Godric led every step of the $100,000 Chocolate Town Sprint Stakes and hung on by a neck over Killybegs Captain. The time was 1:08.83. Midtowncharlybrown won his first stakes Nov. 21 in Penn National’s Fabulous Strike Stakes.
Kicking off the stakes races Saturday was Gap View Stables and Jagger’s Gotta Be Strong, who won the $104,950 New Start Stakes for 3-year-old Pennsylvania-bred fillies. The Strong Mandate filly rallied from last and got up by half a length to complete six furlongs in 1:10.64. Gotta Be Strong has only finished off the board once in 10 starts and made her first stakes appearance in the New Start.
Original news source credited to: https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/233990/regal-glory-draws-clear-to-take-penn-oaks
