Favorite Rose Catherine easily won her fourth turf stakes of the year when she took the five-furlong $200,000 Turf Amazon Handicap (VIDEO) at Parx Racing.
The 3-year-old daughter of Speightstown —Great Plains Lady, by Peaks and Valleys, has been a turf sprint specialist for most of her racing career and proved once again Sept. 25 that short distances on the grass suit her best. Owned by Paul Pompa Jr., the filly finished second in last year’s one-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly Turf Stakes at Santa Anita Park.
Rose Catherine was slow out of the gate, tracking third-choice Canadian Ballet, who grabbed the early lead. By the three-eighths pole, Rose Catherine and rider Javier Castellano had taken over and had a clear lead with a furlong to run. She hit the wire 1 3/4 lengths ahead of second-choice West Ocean, ridden by John Velazquez. Todd Pletcher trained the top two finishers.
Canadian Ballet finished third another 2 1/4 lengths behind West Ocean. The final time was :57.46 on firm turf.
Pompa bought Rose Catherine at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale for $410,000. She has won six of her 11 lifetime starts and has earnings totaling $518,807. Bred in Kentucky by Janavar Thoroughbreds, Rose Catherine has won five of her six starts this year and was third in the one-mile Appalachian Stakes (gr. III) at Keeneland.
Rose Catherine paid $3.20, $2.20, and $2.10. West Ocean paid $2.10 and $2.10, while Canadian Ballet paid $2.20. The exacta was an uninspiring $5.40.