Turf was yielding for the fifth and 10th races; the third, sixth and eighth came off the grass; main track was fast.
THIRD RACE: Good thing there were main-track-only entrants in this race. All seven horses entered for the turf were scratched, leaving a field of four MTO’s racing for a $79,000 purse. The N.Y.-bred 3-year-old filly Harbor Mist took them gate to wire under Edgar Prado at 5-2. The 5-year-old mare Acting Happy, one of the top 3-year-old fillies of 2010, was favored at 6-5 making just her fourth start in the last two years for Rick Dutrow. Ramon Dominguez went to the whip on her around the turn, and she was life-and-death to get up for second.
FOURTH RACE: To err is human — especially if you’re a steward, because they sure blew the call in this race. Z Vilna, $200G yearling purchase by Zayat Stables, was 6-5 favorite plunging into 30G maiden claimer for Todd Pletcher. He dueled early with Dr. Wesley, double-bug Alex Canchari up, 10-1 dropping from special weights at Parx and cutting back to one turn. Around the far turn, Dr. Wesley was under a hold as he pulled clear from Z Vilna, who couldn’t keep pace despite being put to a hard drive by John Velazquez.
Still in hand turning for home, Dr. Wesley opened daylight at the top of the stretch, then 7-2 Karma Shield came after him outside under Javier Castellano. Drifting under Canchari’s left-hand stick, Dr. Wesley came out several paths in mid-stretch, directly in front of Karma Shield, forcing Castellano to check and take Karma Shield out to avoid running up Dr. Wesley’s heels.
Castellano claimed foul and the stewards posted the inquiry sign. After a cursory look, with the incriminating head-on replay not shown to the public over the track TV, the stewards let the result stand. Whoops!
Another oddity to this race: the exacta, with a 10-1 shot on top, 7-2 second, and the 6-5 favorite out of the number, paid a measly $90.50.
NINTH RACE: In the Grade 2, $200,000 Vagrancy Handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs for fillies and mares, Junior Alvarado set a dawdling pace (:23.55, :47.07) aboard 9-5 CC’s Pal, with 8-5 favorite Nicole H getting a perfect trip tucked inside behind her under Ramon Dominguez. At the top of the stretch, Nicole H came off the rail, split horses and collared CC’s Pal inside the final furlong. Nicole H began to edge away, but then CC’s Pal came right back at her to regain the lead in the final strides.
PICK SIX
Winning numbers:
3-2-2-14-1-3
No winners
Consolation (5 of 6)
Paid $357.50
Carryover $49,234
edfountaine@nypost.com
Javier Castellano, Ramon Dominguez, Ramon Dominguez, Edgar Prado, Zayat Stables, Todd Pletcher, Alex Canchari, Rick Dutrow, Z Vilna, Nicole H, Wesley
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