Gilbert G. Campbell's Touched by Madness broke on top and never looked back, making all the pace in the $100,000 Jersey Derby on the Monmouth Park turf Monday.Trained by Ned Allard, Touched By Madness opened up a big lead on the backstretch and carved out fractions of :23 4/5, :47 2/5 and 1:12 1/5 before coming home in 1:43 2/5 for the 1 1/16-mile event for 3-year-olds over a turf course rated "good.""I was just told to let him break and see where we were," said 18-year-old jockey Frankie Pennington, who wracked up his first stakes victory in the Jersey Derby. "He was sharp out of the gate and I was really expecting to be pressed a little on the lead. About the quarter pole I pushed on him a little bit and I knew he had more left."A colt by Sword Dance from the Shananie mare Marilyn's Madness, Touched By Madness returned $22.40, $9.80, and $7.60. It was 2 1/2 lengths back to Spring House, who rallied to complete a $133.40 exacta and paid $6.20 and $4.20. It was a nose back to Hole in the Head, paying $5.40.The Jersey Derby win was the third win in nine lifetime starts for Touched By Madness, who has now earned $108,770 for his connections.Favored Argento finished fifth, finishing evenly after a ground-saving trip.
(Chart, Equibase)
