Updated on 09/15/2012 6:25PM

Parx: Stormy Lord repeats in spill-marred President's Cup

By Joe DeVivo
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Alyssa Spakowski/EQUI-PHOTO
Stormy Lord, under Jim McAleney, defends his title in the PTHA President's Cup.

Canadian shipper Stormy Lord snapped a six-race losing streak to capture the $250,000 Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen Association President’s Cup at Parx Racing for the second straight year on Saturday.

The 5-year-old Stormy Lord ($8.60) had not won since taking the $116,000 Labeeb at his home track, Woodbine, last October. Much like he did in winning the 2011 President’s Cup, Stormy Lord sat a stalking trip in third through six furlongs in 1:1:14.97, made a big move to challenge for the lead approaching the final turn, and kicked clear to win by 2 3/4  lengths. He completed 1 1/8 miles over a turf course rated good in 1:53.00.

Ridden by Jim McAleney for owner David Willmot and trainer Ian Black, Stormy Lord is now 9 for 27 lifetime with earnings of $1,153,686.

The race was marred by a three-horse spill near the three-eighths pole. The chain-reaction incident was caused by runner-up Freud’s Honor, who was disqualified and placed last by the stewards after moving in slightly and clipping heels with Achilles Quest. When Achilles Quest went down, trailers E z Led and Yes Yes Ohyes struck the fallen horse and fell, too.

The riders of the three fallen horses – apprentice Adam Bowman, and journeymen J.D. Acosta and Edwin Rivera – sustained moderate injjries. Bowman sustained a concussion, Acosta separated a shoulder, and Rivera broke a collarbone. All three horses were  uninjured.

Under the revised order of finish, pacesetter Kara’s Orientation was placed second and Nibiru’s Return was moved up to third. Cantonic finished fifth as the 5-2 favorite.

 

Tiffany Berardi More than 1 year ago
I would really appreciate the negative comments about Adam Bowman and Achillie's Quest to STOP. I was THERE yesterday, Achillie's is my uncles horse - I was the first to see him go down and I immediately started crying - my first thought was "not again" as my uncle lost his beloved horse Jag in June to tragic sudden illness. The last thing he needed was to loose another horse 4 months later. The man still hurts from the loss of Jag and he treats his animals like gold and is more involved than most owners are. This man cares so strongly about the welfare of all his horses that he vetted Achillie's immediately following the incident and will have him vetted again today just to be sure something didn't crop up overnight. I was THERE I saw what happened. Paco Lopez who has a history of reckless riding (and no respect for others) was 6th behind our other horse Nibiru's Return. At the top of the backstretch he started to come between Achillie's Quest (who was on the rail) and Nibiru's Return who was just to the outside. Paco guided Frued's Honor towards the rail without looking back to see if he had enough clearance, cutting off Achillie's leaving Adam Bowman with little time to react. Because of this Achillie's unfortunately clipped heels and went down causing Ez Led and Yes Yes Ohyes to fall too. Most horses would get up and run away after they have dumped their riders and fallen (if not injured severely). Achillie's just layed there and then got up and waited for someone to come get him, as Adam when he fell took the bridle with him as he flew off. Achille's allowed whomever rushed out there to rebridle him and lead him back to the stables. For being a racehorse Achillie's has an amazing temperament and is one of the nicest horses I know. My mother and I had to run out on the track after the horses crossed the finish line to retrieve my uncle who was making his way over there because if we hadn't of stopped him he would have ran all the way over there. Both Achillie's and Nibiru ran with little bridle tags that said "Jag" on them as a tribute to my uncles horse and I strongly believe that Jag really was watching over them yesterday. It is bad enough when you are watching a race and you see a spill like this, it's even worse when your watching a race and it's your own horse, your heart and your world just stop. Adam Edwin and Acosta are LUCKY they could have sustained worse injuries or possible death with horses falling like that. Achillie's, Ez Led and Yes Yes Ohyes are LUCKY too because they too could have sustained injuries that would have ended their careers or have caused them to be euthanized on the track.
Greg Hopper More than 1 year ago
I didn't see that clearly in the replay that was shown umpteen times where I was watching. It looked like the bug boy was moving on the rail into a small hole approaching a sharp turn. It was impossible to tell whether the horse ahead cut off a path or not. Either way, it sure was scary and I was happily amazed to hear that all riders and horses were fine! I wish I could have seen a better angle of the incident but thank you for your views, I'm guessing you saw a better shot of this.
myjockwon More than 1 year ago
I did an i've been watching this kid ride at monmouth an gulfstream an he's seriously dangerous. As for the other riders they all three got hurt, concussion, broken collarbone and separated shoulder
Tiffany Berardi More than 1 year ago
Adam Bowman wasn't making a move at the worse time. He was the jock for Achillie's Quest who is my uncles horse - Adam had specific orders. Paco Lopez riding Freud's Honor has a history of careless and reckless riding. He was disqualified for interference. He cut off Achillie's Quest so close that Adam didn't have time to react. I was the first one to see it and if you watch the replay over and over from different angles you can see how he just zoomed between Achillie's and our other horse Nibiru and just darted over to the rail.
myjockwon More than 1 year ago
seriously you have no clue what your watching,Paco Lopez as he went passed the horse on the rail just dropped over causing that horse to fall. This jock is so dangerous, Lopez when are the stewards going to put a stop to his careless riding, suspensions don't seem to do the job.He ended Eibar Coa's career he's,dropped numerious riders including himself ,when are they going to revoke his license, after he kills someone.I'm not picking on him go back a check his record an you'll see he's been suspended numerious times and he just keeps doing the same thing over an over again, this guy has no respect for the horses or the other jockeys he's riding with.
Lucky Duck More than 1 year ago
I checked his record...in the Coa race, im sure Lopez wanted to have his horse trip and fall after the wire. It was unfortunate that Coa could not avoid the fallen horse being only 1 1/2 lengths behind at the wire while being full out. In the Parx race, it looked to me that Bowman was making his move at the worst time. You cannot try to hit that hole on the turn inside of two horses. He was being aggressive which I appreciate, but he took his chances in a high risk spot. Lopez is not at fault. We all watched the stewards review about a hundred times, and it looks like the eventual winner drifted in for a split second causing the 3 to shy away, which then caused the spill. I dont think a DQ should have happened, but the Parx stewards are usually quick to pull a horse down for anything.
Tiffany Berardi More than 1 year ago
Adam Bowman wasn't making a move at the worse time. He was the jock for Achillie's Quest who is my uncles horse - Adam had specific orders. Paco Lopez riding Freud's Honor has a history of careless and reckless riding. He was disqualified for interference. He cut off Achillie's Quest so close that Adam didn't have time to react. I was the first one to see it and if you watch the replay over and over from different angles you can see how he just zoomed between Achillie's and our other horse Nibiru and just darted over to the rail.
Greg Hopper More than 1 year ago
Crazy DQ! A million to one shot that doesn't belong in the race (he's been 70-1 or more in his last 8 starts in lesser company) tries to scrape the paint entering the turn under a bug boy and clips heels and the other horse gets DQ'd???? And as a result, the entry mate of the million to one shot moves up to 3rd???? This is why I never bet joke tracks like Parx. Seriously, get some real stewards!!
Kevin Bubser More than 1 year ago
Paco Lopez is the most dangerous rider I ever seen 3 spills in last 6 months all from his reckless riding. One at monmouth, one at gulf stream, and today at parx, I personally don't bet the guy because I don't want to sweat out an objection or inquiry
Tiffany Berardi More than 1 year ago
Adam Bowman wasn't making a move at the worse time. He was the jock for Achillie's Quest who is my uncleshas a history horse - Adam had specific orders. Paco Lopez riding Freud's Honor HAS A HISTORY of careless and reckless riding. He was disqualified for interference. He cut off Achillie's Quest so close that Adam didn't have time to react. I was the first one to see it and if you watch the replay over and over from different angles you can see how he just zoomed between Achillie's and our other horse Nibiru and just darted over to the rail.
Tiffany Berardi More than 1 year ago
Actually the one that moved up to 3rd Nibiru's Return is one of the leading horses in 2012 for PA breds on the dirt. This was only his 2nd race on the turf. Don't be an idiot and do your research on the horses before you make uneducated remarks about their stats
Nina Marie Bradley More than 1 year ago
Regardless if the horse "BELONGED" in the race or not, I know what I saw clearly... I was there, the closest I could be on the rail near the scene and watched the replay at the track. I know what I saw. Regardless if the horse was a long shot, or had a bug riding him, he was still sitting on the rail when Lopez made a bold move seeing a "potential hole" and cut in front of Achilles Quest. You can even see Achilles throw his head up right before the spill. Achilles sat on the rail (as directed per the trainer) and was instructed to sit there, which is what he did. I do agree it was negligence on Lopez and reckless riding to make a bold, unfortunate and ultimately stupid move like that.
Tiffany Berardi More than 1 year ago
Thanks Nina - I'm glad you were there with us yesterday. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it on the tron...
miguel More than 1 year ago
sorry GREG HOPPER your a joke you can enter and paid the fee to enter the race ....PLUS IN STAKE RACES LONG/SHOT HAVE WON BEFORE......PLUS IT WAS NOT A JOKE D/Q STEWARDS MADE GREAT CALL, AND PLUS THAT JOCK IS VERY VERY DANGEREROUS RIDER.....PLUS HURTS THREE JOCK SHOULD NOT LET PACO LOPEZ RIDE BACK UNTILL THEM JOCK GET WELL AND COME BACK SO HE MADE LEARN A LESSON.....AND THEM ON TOP OF THAT GIVE HIM 6MONTHS.......I HOPE PARX PARK AND THE STEWARD CRAN DOWN TOMORROW AT THE MOVIE AND TRACK MANGER....THEY SHOULD NOT LET PACO LOPEZ RIDE THERE AGAIN AND I HOPE THE JOCK AT PRAX PARK GET TOGETHER AND NOT RIDE IF THEY LET PACO LOPEZ RIDE....HE HURTS FEW RIDER ALREADY HIS RAP SHEET IS TO LONG ........AND WHAT EVER THEY GIVE HIM TOMORROW THERE SHOULD NOT BE A APPEAL OR TRIPLE HIS DAYS......THEM JOCK LIVES ME MORE HE LOOK OVER AND DROPE IN.....WITH A SMILE....VERY CLASSAIC AND WHO EVER IS HIS AGENT IS NOT A GOOD CHOACH....JUST KEEP APPEALING THAT WHY HE NEVER LEARN AND NEVER WILL........... I HOPE THEM RIDER GET WELL SOON AND DO SOMETING ABOUT TO WHEN THEY GET HOME....AND OUT OF THE HOSPITAL.........IT VERY SAD TO HAVE RIDER LIKE THIS. GIVE HIM A YEAR SEE IF HE LEARN.........I ENJOY RACING BUT NOT LIKE THIS KIND OF RIDER.......THX YOU PRAX PARK AND RACING MANGER AND OFFICAL!!!!!!!!