Big Apple Daddy comes flying late

Big Apple Daddy comes running in the final eighth to win Philadelphia's LeVine Handicap in near-record time.

Heavily favored Big Apple Daddy ran down loose-on-the-lead P. Kerney inside the sixteenth pole and drew off to his first stakes victory against open company in the $100,000 Donald LeVine Memorial Handicap on Saturday at Philadelphia Park.

Big Apple Daddy's time of 1:20.79 for seven furlongs was just 0.18 of a second off the track record of 1:20.61 set by Flaming Bridle in 1999.

P. Kerney, ridden by Victor Molina, looked like a winner when he opened up a 3 1/2-length lead down the backstretch through a half-mile in 43.27 seconds. At that point, Big Apple Daddy had just one horse beaten and was seven lengths back.

"It took him almost a quarter-mile to get his legs under him," said Richard Migliore, Big Apple Daddy's jockey. "I knew how fast they were going up front, and I was still pretty confident at the half-mile pole."

P. Kerney was still comfortably in front by two entering the final eighth, but was beginning to tire after six furlongs in 1:07.77. Big Apple Daddy ($3) came flying to blow past the leader and was 2 1/2 lengths in front at the wire.

P. Kerney held second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Little Thunder.

Big Apple Daddy, based in New York with trainer Bruce Levine, was making his first start since finishing third in last month's Grade 1 Carter Handicap. His only previous stakes win came against New York-breds in February.