September 22, 2024
TORONTO — By Matthew Lomon
Moment Seized
After missing the board entirely the last two times out, Seize the Grey made his triumphant return to the winner’s circle on Saturday afternoon at Parx.
The 3-year-old colt avenged substandard showings in the Belmont (G1) (seventh) and Jim Dandy (G2) (fourth) with a gate-to-wire, 3 ¾-length score in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1).
The textbook 1 1/8-mile effort marked Seize the Grey’s third graded title of 2024, slotting alongside the Pat Day (G2) and $2 million Preakness (G1).
At 4-1, the win that got the breakout star back on track paid a cool $10.60.
A Win’s a Win
It wasn’t pretty, but Thorpedo Anna did just enough to make good on her sky-high 1-9 status in the $1 million Cotillion (G1) at Parx.
The second seven-figure event on the Bensalem, Pennsylvania track’s busy Saturday was originally expected to be an open-and-shut case for one of the top 3-year-old’s in North America.
However, 44-1 lottery ticket Gun Song had other ideas.
The board’s second-longest choice fought mightily to secure the upset but ended up falling short by a neck.
Despite the scare, Thorpedo Anna successfully nabbed her fifth career graded trophy and seventh win across nine starts (7-2-0).
The Brian Hernandez Jr. mount paid $2.10.
A Noble Effort
Running as just one of two North American-bred’s in the $175,000 Noble Damsel (G3T), Ocean Club was able to outlast the field of seven for his first career graded stakes victory.
Leaving from post one, the Jack Sisterson trainee effectively navigated the Aqueduct turf en route to a hard-fought score by a head over 4-1 challenger Five Towns (GB).
It was a well-deserved sigh of relief for Ocean Club, who had previously fallen short in five tries at the graded level before finally breaking through on Saturday afternoon.
The 4-year-old filly’s landmark moment paid $6.80.
Climbing in the Polls
After a fourth in June’s Acorn (G1), My Mane Squeeze improved by one position in each of her three races that followed until she finally crossed the finish line first in this past Saturday’s $269,335 Dogwood (G3).
The last step in the ladder came within the friendly confines of Churchill Downs, which housed My Mane Squeeze’s first and only other career graded conquest – the Eight Belles (G2) – on May 3.
And like the Eight Belles effort, the Luis Saez mount made easy work of the competition in the Dogwood (5-length win).
At 3-2, My Mane Squeeze paid $5.04.
Divine Dash
Soul of an Angel came from out of the clouds to capture the $210,000 Princess Rooney (G3) on Saturday at Gulfstream.
When the field of 9 left the gate for the 7-furlong tilt, eventual champion Soul of an Angel didn’t exactly show much urgency.
That changed, however, about halfway through as the well-travelled 5-year-old mare flew to the front of the pack and never looked back for a smooth 3 ¼-length victory.
The Princess Rooney win was Soul of an Angel’s third tally through nine starts this season and fifth in 40 attempts altogether (5-7-5).
As the second betting choice at 2-1, the Drayden Van Dyke mount paid $6.40.
