(from Monmouth Park)
With six victories on an 11-race card, jockey Eddie Castro equaled a Monmouth Park record before a Father's Day throng of 18,802 at the New Jersey track June 21.
Castro rode At the Disco to win the $60,000 Bernie Dowd Handicap. Ask the Moon took home the top prize in the $70,000 Lighthouse Stakes.
Castro’s record day started in the opener with Mithall ($6.80). The 24-year-old native of Panama then won the fourth aboard Golden Rainbow ($7.60), the fifth with Precursor ($6.60), the sixth atop Clear Faith ($4.80), the Bernie Dowd Handicap and the finale with Top of My Game ($3.60). The record for most wins on a single card was first set by Walter Blum on June 9, 1961. It was previously equaled by Chris Antley, Julie Krone, Joe Bravo (on four occasions), and last season by Jose Lezcano.
In the colors of Cheval Corporation, Ask the Moon andBravo took command out of the gate and never looked back, splashing home over the sloppy track a 1 1/4-length winner. Ask the Moon returned $19, $10.60 and $4.60 and topped a $123.20 exacta. Talkin About Love rallied from last and paid $13.20 to place and $6.40 to show. Annabill, who finished another 1 1/4 lengths back in third, paid $4.60 to show.
“We were looking for the lead in here,” said winning trainer Ned Allard, “unless someone else wanted to really gun for the front, we would have let them go. She’s just a really nice filly and when you’re out of conditions this is the type of race you have to be in.”
Sunday’s score was the sixth in 14 lifetime starts for Ask the Moon, a 4-year-old filly by Malibu Moon out of the Valid Appeal mare Always Asking. She has now earned $200,250.
Owned by Patricia A. Generazio, At the Disco covered the mile and 70 yards over the sloppy main track in 1:40 4/5 and returned $10, $4.80 and $3.60. Luna Park, seven lengths behind the winner, completed the $46 exacta and paid $3.80 to place and $3.20 to show. Flirtatious Smile was another half-length back in third, good for a $5.80 show mutuel. Cuba, the post time favorite, never appeared comfortable and trailed throughout.
“We got a great trip stalking the early speed,” Castro said. “He was nice and relaxed down the backside. Once we hit the turn I started to ask him a little bit and he inched closer with every stride. Once I really called on him he kicked it in at the top of the stretch and ran off for me.”
The win marked the sixth lifetime and first stakes victory for At the Disco, a 5-year-old horse by Disco Rico from the Concorde’s Tune mare Mary Lou’s Magic. He has now banked $306,435 for his connections.