Chief Lion holds on in Fabulous Strike

Chief Lion just missed winning the $200,000 Fabulous Strike Stakes at Penn National a year ago. Favorite Tale won the race in 2015. On Wednesday night, the pair ran one-two around the track with Chief Lion holding on to win by a half-length.

Unfortunately, the Fabulous Strike was marred by the breakdown of 7-5 favorite Blu Moon Ace, who was in the midst of making a strong move on the far turn. He was euthanized due to the extent of his injuries.

Trainer David Jacobson entered Chief Lion and Stallwalkin' Dude in the six-furlong Fabulous Strike but scratched Stallwalkin' Dude to instead run in the Fall Highweight at Aqueduct on Thanksgiving Day. As it turned out, he only needed one starter.

"Splitting them up was part of the plan," Jacobson said. "He's not on the same level as Stallwalkin' Dude, but I didn’t think he had to be to win this race. Now we have to go get the other one tomorrow."

Chief Lion is freakishly fast, and while Favorite Tale raced on the lead to his inside early, he could not keep up after a quarter-mile. Chief Lion spurted clear by a few lengths. Jockey Paco Lopez asked Favorite Tale hard on the far turn and took him outside Chief Lion for the drive.

Favorite Tale came back on gamely, but could not get by Chief Lion late. Chief Lion paid $10 as the fourth wagering choice. He set fractions of 21.90, 43.95, and 56.01, before completing the course in 1:09.06.

The victory made up for last year when Chief Lion laid down even faster fractions but was caught late by Candip and Measured and finished third, beaten three-quarters of a length.

"I'm very happy with how he ran," Jacobson said. "He came into the race really well."

Jockey Martin Garcia did an excellent job of rationing out Chief Lion's speed in the Fabulous Strike to score his first victory since relocating to New York from Southern California. The Fabulous Strike was Garcia's second mount since his arrival.

Flashy Kyem finished third, 3 1/2 lengths behind Favorite Tale. Awesome Banner, the 5-2 second choice, was unruly at the gate and difficult to load, then dropped back after showing brief speed. He was fanned very wide into the stretch while Blu Moon Ace was being pulled up, and finished fifth.

Blu Moon Ace had raced exceptionally well for owner Robert Cole Jr. and trainer Kevin Patterson, who claimed him for $30,000 at Delaware Park in July. In three starts since the claim, he had won the $97,000 Coalition Stakes at Timonium; finished second, beaten a neck, in the Grade 3 De Francis Dash at Laurel Park; and won the Maryland Million Sprint.