Aztec Sense stretches winning streak to seven in Pa. Derby Champion Stakes

BENSALEM, Pa. – It’s becoming evident that the condition of the main track at Parx may play a part in the outcome of some of today’s stakes after odds-on favorite Collected finished fourth of five in the Pennsylvania Derby Champion Stakes and Aztec Sense, who has now won three stakes at Parx, went wire to wire.

The Parx track was deep, tiring, and yielding slow times Saturday. The outer paths seemed better than the inner lanes.

Collected was floated wide on the first turn of the 1 1/16-mile Pennsylvania Derby Champion Stakes, then lacked a rally when asked by Mike Smith.

“It felt like he just kind of went through the motions,” Smith said. “I knew he was empty at the half-mile pole.”

Aztec Sense, a $12,500 claim at Parx in August 2017, has now won his last seven starts and nine of 10 since changing barns.

He went to the early lead in the Pennsylvania Derby Champion and was never headed, winning by four lengths. He paid $9.20 and was timed in 1:45.97, getting a Beyer Speed Figure of 101. Zanotti finished second, a half-length ahead of Name Changer in third. It was another 2 1/4 lengths back to Collected.

Jorge Navarro, the trainer of Aztec Sense, termed the track “dead, very dead” after the race. “My horse likes the track,” Navarro said.

Aztec Sense won the Turning for Home Stakes at Parx in June and the PTHA President’s Cup in August.

Navarro said Aztec Sense could be pointed to the Claiming Crown at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 1.

Alphabet Soup: Fast and Accurate

Fast and Accurate made a bold move on the far turn of the $100,000 Alphabet Soup, came into the stretch of the 1 1/16-mile turf race with a clear lead, then turned back a bid from his Mike Maker-trained stablemate Bern’ James Bern to score by one length.

The win was the first from six starts this year for Fast and Accurate. The 4-year-old is now 5 for 18. He paid $3.80 as the favorite in the nine-horse field of Pennsylvania-breds.

He was timed in 1:47.26 over a turf course listed as “good” that the horses were digging deep into, throwing up large clods of grass. Fast and Accurate earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure.

Last year at 3, Fast and Accurate won the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park, finished 17th in the Kentucky Derby, and won the Showing Up Stakes at Gulfstream Park West in November. In his start prior to the Alphabet Soup, Fast and Accurate finished second in the statebred Leematt Stakes at Presque Isle Downs.

Fast and Accurate was ridden by Jose Ortiz. His brother Irad rode Bern’ James Bern, who finished second in the Alphabet Soup for the second year in a row. It was 3 3/4 lengths farther back to Threeohtwocassie in third.