Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Flower Alley Wins Monmouth Park Race
Posted on Monday, June 26th, 2006
OCEANPORT, N.J. (AP) — Travers Stakes‘ winner Flower Alley returned from a nearly eight-month layoff and posted a 3-length victory over Park Avenue Ball in the $150,000 Salvator Mile Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday.
"It was exactly what we were looking for, with the exception of the (sloppy) track condition," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "We knew he handled an off track before when he won at Turfway early in his career, so I figured he’d handle the track."
The start was the first for Flower Alley since finishing second to Horse of the Year Saint Liam in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Oct. 29.
Ridden by John Velazquez, Flower Alley splashed through the slop to cover the mile in 1:35.4. The 4-year-old son of Distorted Humor paid $3, $2.40 and $2.10 as the favorite in the field of five. Flower Alley earned $60,000 for the Melnyk Racing Stables, Inc., boosting his career bankroll to $2,497,660.
Park Avenue Ball returned $3.60 and $2.10. Late-closing Network was a head back in third and was worth $2.10 to show.
Pletcher said Flower Alley probably will start next in the Whitney at Saratoga on Aug. 5. The colt also will probably run in the Woodward at Saratoga on Sept. 2 as a final prep for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4.
Flower Alley sat off a quick early pace set by Cherokee’s Boy, winner of last year’s Salvator Mile, and Gold and Roses, the longshot in the field. Turning into the stretch, Flower Alley made his move on the outside. The rust showed a little as Velazquez had to rouse him in midstretch, but Flower Alley opened daylight in the final sixteenth.
"Flower Alley Wins Monmouth Park Race" was posted on Monday, June 26th, 2006 at 9:25 am and is filed under Horses, Monmouth Park, Race Tracks News, Trainers, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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