Syntax records initial stakes tally in Kent

Syntax records initial stakes tally in Kent; Fast Anna,

Normandy Invasion falter as favorites

Syntax (Haatef) rallied to the lead in midstretch and posted a half-length

decision in Saturday's $200,250

Kent (G3)

at Delaware Park, a 1 1/8-mile turf test for three-year-olds. Trained by Bill

Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado, the Irish-bred colt registered his first

stakes victory and stopped the teletimer in 1:49.77 on the firm ground. Money

Multiplier (Lookin at Lucky) closed late for second and Tiz My Valentine (Tizdejavu)

finished third.

After making his first two appearances in Ireland, Syntax was transferred to

Mott. The chestnut needed four starts stateside before breaking his maiden on

April 1 at Gulfstream Park and jumped straight to stakes company with a fourth

in the May 16 James W. Murphy at Pimlico. He was exiting a one-length tally at

Belmont Park over entry-level allowance foes on June 20 and has now earned

$225,628 from a 9-3-3-0 record.

One race later on the program, Heaven's Runway (Run Away and Hide) ran down

heavily favored pacesetter Fast Anna (Medaglia d'Oro) in deep stretch to post a

three-quarters of a length upset in the $50,000

Hockessin, prevailing as the 10-1 longest shot among a scratch-depleted

field of four sprinters. Fast Anna led by five lengths through an opening

quarter-mile in :21.66 but began to weaken after a half in :44.49, surrendering

second in the final strides by a nose to runner-up Bourbon Courage (Lion Heart).

Trevor McCarthy was up on the Tim Ice-trained Heaven's Runway, who notched his

first stakes win since taking the 2012 Fitz Dixon Jr. Memorial Juvenile. The

five-year-old horse traveled six furlongs in 1:09.14 and improved his career

scorecard to 28-5-3-5, $337,575.

Ain't Got Time ((Roman Ruler) led wire to wire in the $50,000

Carl

Hanford Memorial, a one-mile and 70-yard event for older horses that was

reduced from 10 to four runners due to scratches. Scott Spieth was on the Tim

Ritchey-trained colt, who scored by nearly a length in his stakes debut, and the

four-year-old was timed in 1:39.59. Grade 1 runner-up Normandy Invasion (Tapit),

who was making his second start back from a 13-month layoff for Larry Jones,

closed gradually for second as the 2-5 choice.

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