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Pants on Fire tops Pegasus
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| Pants on Fire earned his last victory in the Louisiana Derby
(Chris Bennet/Hodges Photography) |
Louisiana Derby (G2) hero PANTS ON FIRE (Jump Start) tops a field of six
three-year-olds in Saturday's $200,000
Pegasus
S. (G3) at Monmouth Park. The well-regarded colt was bet down as the 8-1
second choice in the Kentucky Derby (G1) last out and raced in a forward position
before weakening to ninth in the long stretch at Churchill Downs. Anna Napravnik
will return to the saddle aboard the likely favorite.
Pants on Fire has the same connections of Belmont S. (G1) upsetter Ruler on
Ice (Roman Ruler) -- owners George and Lori Hall and trainer Kelly Breen -- and
has trained forwardly for the Pegasus, working four furlongs in a bullet :47 on
May 27 prior to a blazing :45 1/5 move between races last Friday. The 1
1/16-mile Pegasus is a building block toward his ultimate goal this summer, the
$1 million Haskell Invitational (G1) on July 1.
Pants on Fire will spot two-to-six pounds to his rivals and starts from the
far outside post.
CONCEALED IDENTITY (Smarty Jones), who easily handled Ruler on Ice when
capturing the Federico Tesio S. by a two-length margin two starts previously,
will look to rebound from a 12th in the Preakness (G1). The Edmond Gaudet
trainee will pick up a new rider in Luis Garcia. RUSH NOW (Tiznow), a juvenile
stakes winner who dropped into the claiming ranks earlier this season, will
enter on the upswing for Tony Dutrow, recording a 4 1/4-length, wire-to-wire
score in the May 22 Spend a Buck S. at Monmouth Park.
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TURBO COMPRESSOR (Halo's Image), who finished second when making his stakes
debut in the restricted Sophomore S. at Tampa Bay Downs two starts back, will
try graded rivals following a stirring 13 1/4-length allowance score at Monmouth
Park on May 14. HARLAN'S HELLO (Harlan's Holiday) is also a recent allowance
winner, posting a nose upset at 20-1 over optional claiming rivals at Belmont
Park on May 13. CLARKE LANE (Giant's Causeway), who will make his first start
for Justin Sallusto following a third in the May 8 Alydar S. at Hollywood Park,
rounds out the compact field.
Monmouth will also offer the $65,000
Open
Mind H. for New Jersey-bred fillies and mares, and EVER ALWAYS (Mr. Nugget)
will bring a three-race winning streak into her stakes debut. The lightly-raced
five-year-old has captured those starts by a combined 36 1/4 lengths and figures
to be a solid favorite over her five rivals in the six-furlong event.
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