Parx: Royal Currier comes back quickly in LeVine after non-effort in New York

A slight hesitation at the break compromised Royal Currier’s chances in the True North Handicap on the Belmont Stakes undercard.

He can make amends on Saturday in the $150,000 Donald LeVine Memorial at Parx Racing.

Under normal circumstances, the two weeks between races would be a quick turnaround for the former claimer turned stakes winner. But then, Royal Currier, bet down to 4-1 in the True North against a much stronger field than this, never got into the hunt.

“He never ran three inches,” said Mike Farro, who trains the Monmouth Park division for his wife Patricia. “He was acting up in the gate and broke a half a step slow and got squeezed out of there. The dirt hit him in the face, and he just rejected it.

“We would have run him back in a week if there was a good spot. He was doing great going into it. If he broke better, I think they would have seen a big race out of him.”

Royal Currier finished seventh, 12 1/2 lengths behind Caixa Eletronica.

A 4-year-old gelding, Royal Currier came into the True North off one of his career best efforts: a sharp win in the Diablo overnight stakes at Belmont on May 10. It was the ninth win since Team Farro claimed him for $20,000 on Sept. 6, 2010. His richest victory came last year in the $250,000 Gallant Bob at Parx where he is 3-1-0 in 4 starts.

“He came out of the last race great,” Farro said. “He’s going to run good.”

The seven-furlong LeVine drew a field of eight, including Golddigger’s Boy, last year’s winner. A Pennsylvania bred trained by Ramon Preciado, Golddigger’s Boy prepped for the title defense with a rallying third in a Monmouth allowance race earlier this month.

Like Royal Currier, Golddigger’s Boy has never finished out of the money at Parx with a mark of 7-2-3 in 12 starts.

Toby’s Corner will be looking for his first victory since capturing last year’s Wood Memorial. He came up lame in the hind quarters and never made it to the Triple Crown.

Trained by Graham Motion, Toby’s Corner has run three times this year, picking up thirds in a pair of Grade 2 stakes: the General George at Laurel and the New Orleans Handicap. He most recently ran seventh in the Pimlico Special.

Rod’s Five Star, Sloane Ranger, Hobbitontherocks, Ponzi Scheme, and Spin Zone complete the field.