Penn Derby

Tracy Farmer's SUN KING (Charismatic) proved much the best in Monday's

$750,000 Pennsylvania Derby (G2). Rating just off the pace between rivals

through opening fractions of :22 3/5, :46 2/5 and 1:10 3/5, the Nick Zito trainee

charged to the lead entering the stretch and drew off

under steady pressure from jockey Rafael Bejarano, getting the mile in 1:36 1/5 and

completing the 1 1/8-mile

affair in 1:49 2/5 over the fast track. Southern Africa (Cape Town) launched a

bid on the final turn, but was only good enough for second, 4 1/2 lengths behind

the winner.

Sun King was coupled with Indy Storm (A.P. Indy) and

returned $4.80, $3.40 and $3 as the 7-5 favorite and topped a $48.80 exacta. Southern

Africa gave back $7.20 and $5.40 at 8-1 while Smokescreen (Smoke Glacken) paid

$7 to show at 18-1 to finish the $462.80 trifecta.

Network (Pulpit) completed the 1-8-5-6 superfecta, which paid $4,956.40. Real

Dandy (Yankee Victor), Tani Maru (Cherokee Run), Quadrant (Boundary), It's Time

to Smile (Ops Smile), Golden Rainbow (Seeking the Gold), Anthony J. (Tiger

Ridge), Indy Storm, United (Dixie Union), Quiet Money (Seattle Slew) and

Letterman's Humor (Distorted Humor) rounded out the order of finish.

The winner was bred in Kentucky by Cambridge Farm and James Daniel Conway and

is out of the Clever Trick mare Clever But Costly. Sun King is a half-brother to

Grade 1 winner Traitor (Cryptoclearance) and Grade 3 victress Ocean Drive

(Belong to Me) and hails from the same female family as Grade 1 winner Peeping

Tom, Grade 2 queen Allamerican Bertie (Quiet American) and Grade 3 heroine

Hurricane Bertie (Storm Boot).

Sun King was purchased by Farmer at the 2003 Keeneland January Horses of All

Ages Sale for $400,000. He improved his record to 12-5-1-2 and

became Thoroughbred racing's newest millionaire with $1,279,650 in earnings.

He captured the Leonard Richards S. (G3) and Tampa Bay

Derby (G3) earlier this year and was second to Roman Ruler (Fusaichi Pegasus) in

the Haskell Invitational (G1) in his prior outing.