Chub Wagon survives inquiry, takes Plum Pretty Stakes
BENSALEM, Pa. - Popular Chub Wagon successfully stretched out around two turns to defeat seven other Pennsylvania-bred fillies and mares in Saturday's $200,000 Plum Pretty Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on dirt at Parx Racing.
Chub Wagon broke sweetly under jockey Jomar Torres and raced to the outside of pacesetter Precious through fractions of 24.62 and 48.98 seconds. Chub Wagon tried to break the race open on the second turn with a quick burst of speed, and she swung into the stretch three lengths in front.
Vault, ridden by Joel Rosario for trainer Brad Cox, emerged with a late rally, however. Chub Wagon drifted out in the stretch and held off Vault's surge to win by a half-length in 1:44.80. Vault was 1 1/2 lengths better than stablemate Marion Francis. It was another 6 3/4 lengths back to Ninetypercentbrynn in fourth. Then came Precious, Promised Storm, Trolley Ride, and Amen Sylvia.
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Chub Wagon survived an objection and inquiry to return $4.20 as the favorite.
Trained by Guadalupe Preciado for owners Daniel Lopez and George Chestnut, Chub Wagon won the first eight starts of her career before tasting defeat when second over sloppy going in the Dr. Teresa Garofalo Memorial Stakes at Parx on Aug. 23.
She returned to the winner's circle two weeks later by defeating graded stakes winner Pacific Gale in Parx's Roamin Rachel Stakes. Preciado debated between running Chub Wagon in the Plum Pretty or Sunday's Grade 2, $250,000 Gallant Bloom Stakes before opting for the former.
"I believe in Lasix," Preciado said in the winner's circle. "We were supposed to run in New York at 6 1/2 furlongs. That's the perfect distance, but no Lasix. Next year, probably, we're going to have to deal with that problem."
Preciado believed the additional distance wouldn't pose a problem. "When she runs seven-eighths against these kinds of horses, she keeps on going."
While no firm plans have been set, Preciado indicated that Chub Wagon might receive the rest of the year off. "We've run back too close a couple of times," Preciado said. "This time it wasn't even three weeks, and she ran a huge race."
*Alphabet Soup
Trainer Jamie Ness, jockey Frankie Pennington, and the ownership group of Morris Kernan Jr., Yo Berbs, and Jagger Inc. completed a stakes double when You Must Chill won the $200,000 Alphabet Soup Handicap for Pennsylvania-breds at 1 1/16 miles on turf.
Earlier on the Pennsylvania Derby card, the combination won the Grade 3 Greenwood Cup with Magic Michael.
A 5-year-old gelded son of Winchill, You Must Chill began his career in Southern California before shipping to Parx in early 2020. After winning an allowance race on dirt for trainer Marcos Zulueta, You Must Chill missed over a year of racing.
Ness took over You Must Chill's training and the gray has won four of five starts. Ness mentioned the challenges he faced getting You Must Chill back to the races. "He had quarter crack issues and we gave him a lot of time. We always thought he was a grass horse, so we gave him the whole winter."
Although the turf course was officially rated as good, it seemed more on the very soft side. "We finally got him on the grass last time. We had to go to Penn National to do it and he ran on a really bad turf course like this. So, we knew he could handle the turf course today."
You Must Chill settled into the pocket in the early stages of the Alphabet Soup as Saratoga Jack set the pace. After early fractions of 24.74 and 48.57 seconds, Wait for It made a bold three-wide bid to the lead with You Must Chill held up briefly in behind rivals.
Pennington guided You Must Chill to the outside and they set sail after Wait for It. They collared that foe late to win by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:47.37 seconds. Wait for It was three lengths better than third finisher Someday Jones. Saratoga Jack, Papal law, Prince of Rain, Stonegate, Irish Cork, Saint Marco, and Viski Jones were next.
"He was hitting some spots where he was in the bit, then he was bobbling because it was very soft," Pennington said. "I broke good and put him in the fourth position. He was dragging me the whole way. At the top of the stretch, it was a waiting game. Once I got out, he took off and exploded."
You Must Chill is a half-brother to multiple Grade 3 winner Field Pass. The Alphabet Soup Handicap was his first stakes victory.