The July 4th stakes focus on the James Penny Memorial at Parx Racing mainly because of the timing of the holiday. Traditionally, July 4th stakes are a pivotal part of a track’s stakes program but because the holiday falls on a Tuesday this year, some races have taken the backseat.
The Grade 3 $200,000 July 4th stakes named the James Penny Memorial is still no slouch. The race is for fillies and mares three-year-olds and up and will be run at a mile and a sixteenth on grass. Ten will face the starter and the race is a wide-open affair.
Last year Zipessa was coming off a third in a Grade 3 race before trying the July 4th stakes at Philly which was named the James Penny Memorial. All Zipessa did was make the lead at the sound of the bell and go all the way. This year Elysea’s World is also coming off a third in a Grade 3 race. The Chad Brown student may have just needed that effort. She was bet down to the even-money favorite but just ran out of real estate. This daughter of Champs Elysees is speed challenged and she was beaten by one of today’s foes, Cambodia.
That mare is in the good hands of Tom Proctor, who has won at a 20% clip this year. Cambodia raced on dirt for her first three races and didn’t seem to handle the surface. Proctor switched her to grass and shipped to Tampa Bay Downs and the mare graduated. She won her next two races going through her conditions and ran third three straight times in non-Graded stakes. Proctor still had confidence in her and put Cambodia into the Grade 3 Gallorette Stakes at Pimlico on May 20 and the miss responded. She sat an ideal two-hole trip and surprised at 9-2 with a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.
Chad Brown has two other starters in this July 4th stakes and they bookend the field. Light in Paris will break from the rail and Fourstar Crook will break from the extreme outside.
Light in Paris has been in the exacta in four of her five starts this year. She won a pair of those races including the $100,000 Plenty O Grace on April 15. Interestingly, in her last race Light in Paris beat the winner of this July 4th stakes last year. She rallied passed Zipessa to run second in the Grade 3 Eatontown at Monmouth Park and she nearly overcame her disadvantageous post ten last time.
Fourstar Crook a little larceny in her heart as she has stolen seven races in her ten starts. Most of those seven wins came in New York-bred events but she has won in open company and just has a penchant for finding the wire. It took her three races before the light went on but the daughter of Freud has won seven races in a row. Her first stakes was in the $150,000 Yaddo in August of last year and she opened up 2017 with a win in the $125,000 Mt. Vernon Stakes at Belmont on May 29. She earned a 97 Beyer Speed Figure in that race and miss has a super turn of late foot.
My Impression has the class to step up and win this race. She succeeded in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Oaks last year and she ran her eyeballs out in defeat last time. The Shug McGaughey trainee was only beaten a neck most recently in a race she had to need.
Thundering Sky also has the credentials to throw a wrench into the proceedings in this July 4th stakes. She won the $200,000 Pebbles in her 2016 finale and has two preps this year to draw from now. One thing she has going for her at Parx Racing is the fact she will be re-united with Anthony Gallardo, who was aloft for that Pebbles victory.
Royal Renega has experience on the Parx Racing turf course but has yet to win on the course. She did win a softer stakes back in 2015 but her only win this year came in a $32,000 optional claimer sprinting.
Tin Type Gal is the only double Grade 3 winner in this July 4th stakes. She took the Grade 3 Ms. Grillo in only her third career start and proved it was no fluke when she won the Grade 3 Boiling Springs at Monmouth last year. Trained by Graham Motion, this miss may have just needed a prep in her last race when she ran seventh. She won that Boiling Springs last year in a second off the layoff situation.
Light Up Our World will be seeking her first win in the United States. She ran a solid second in her first start in America on June 1 and she was Group 3 placed last year in Europe.
Gone Away can be her own worst enemy at times since she has limited speed but she was visually impressive winning her last race. She came from third to last on June 10 in a $25,000 optional claimer at Laurel and she is in good hands. Her trainer Michael Matz conditioned the late great Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro.
From a velocity standpoint, there is not much speed in the James Penny Memorial this year. My Impression was on the lead last time but she doesn’t need the lead to win. With that said, would expect her rider Edgar Prado to be aggressive. This miss has been beaten by some of today’s rivals but she should give her backers at least a brief thrill.
The call goes to the horse on the extreme outside Fourstar Crook. Her versatility could be her best asset. She has won at Belmont, Aqueduct, and Saratoga and she has handled firm and yielding grass. Jersey Joe Bravo will be in the saddle and he is an excellent rider. Bravo figures to let Fourstar Crook settle early and then try to get over towards the rail and try to save ground. He will likely attempt to make his move as they approach the top of the stretch. If he can get within two lengths of the leader at that point, Fourstar Crook will be very tough. That is the position she has been in during her seven-win streak and trainer Brown has put a series of solid works into her for this race. This Crook could steal the whole thing.
Good luck.
