Coal Front regains winning thread in Parx Dirt Mile

BENSALEM, Pa. – Coal Front bounced back from two disappointing efforts in graded stakes company with a three-quarter-length victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Parx Dirt Mile.

Coal Front, under Mike Smith, made all the early pace over a dull Parx main track. Diamond King, under Jose Ortiz stalked Coal Front from second, and headed him approaching the top of the stretch. Coal Front, who in the stretch was down on the inside part of the track after racing off the rail down the backside, battled back and edged away from Diamond King late for the victory.

It was the eighth win from 12 starts for Coal Front, who two years ago won the Grade 3 Gallant Bob Stakes at Parx. Earlier this year, Coal Front won three graded stakes including the Group 2 Godolphin Mile at in Dubai in March.

Since then, he finished seventh in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap and a well-beaten third in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup.

Smith said trainer Todd Pletcher told him the horse was back to himself.

"He thought the trip to Dubai probably took a bit out of him," Smith said. "He said he was training as good as he was before he went to Dubai, so ride him as it comes up.”

Smith said Coal Front broke “like a rabbit,” so he let him have the lead. Over a deep surface, Coal Front set fractions of 23.90 seconds for the quarter-mile, 47.34 for the half, and 1:11.63 for six furlongs before Diamond King confronted him.

Even though Diamond King put a head in front of Coal Front, Smith said “I had horse. He doesn’t care to be down in there, he’d probably prefer to be outside, but I wasn’t given that opportunity. But he still ran good.”

Coal Front, a 5-year-old ridgling by Stay Thirsty owned by Bob LaPenta and Sol Kumin’s Head of Plains Partners, covered the mile in 1:37.53 and returned $3.40 as the odds-on favorite.

Diamond King finished 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Forewarned. Golden Brown, Wild About Deb, and Grasshoppin completed the order of finish.

Recent claim takes Turf Amazon

At the insistence of Barry Ostrager, trainer Bob Hess claimed the 7-year-old mare Rocky Policy for $40,000 on Aug. 1 at Del Mar. Seven weeks later, the claim paid huge dividends as Rocky Policy, under Paco Lopez, rallied past 50-1 shot Stetson Gold to win the $150,000 Turf Amazon Stakes by three-quarters of a length. It was a half-length back to Boos in third.

“Barry Ostrager identified her as a good claim opening week at Del Mar,” Hess said by phone from Florida. “She didn’t get in that race, but he still wanted her the next time she ran. He deserves all the credit.”

Hess also credited trainer Kent Sweezey who had the mare for the last few weeks at Monmouth Park, where she finished fifth in the Safely Kept Stakes at Monmouth on Sept. 1.

Hess said Rocky Policy would likely to stay with Sweezey at Monmouth and may run once or twice more before the Claiming Crown at Gulfstream in December.

In the Turf Amazon, Rocky Policy covered the five furlongs in 56.62 seconds and returned $10.40 to win. Rocky Policy, a Maryland-bred daughter of Rock Slide is now 8 for 35.

Though Mike Smith was named to ride, Lopez was always intended to ride, Hess said. Lopez was named on Goldwood, who scratched to run in a race at Laurel.

► A stalking Trace of Grace, under Inoel Beato, took over from pacesetting Diva Drama at the top of the stretch and outfinished Trolley Ride by a half-length in the $100,000 Plum Pretty Stakes for Pennsylvania-bred fillies. Both horses were trained by Bernard Houghton, who also sent out Imply, the 1-2 favorite, who finished sixth.

Trace of Grace, a 6-year-old daughter of Petionville owned by TMT Stable, covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:47.54 and returned $9.40 to win.

► The Canadian-based 8-year-old Pumpkin Rumble ($4.40) rallied along the rail under Luis Saez to run down Saratoga Jack to win the $100,000 Alphabet Soup Handicap for Pennsylvania-breds by a half-length. It was two lengths back to Taxable Goods in third.

Pumpkin Rumble’s final time of 1:40.21 for 1 1/16 miles eclipsed a 33-year-old course record of 1:40.40 held by Whatever For.

Pumpkin Rumble, an 8-year-old gelding by English Channel owned by Al and Bill Ulwelling and trained by Kevin Attard, covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.

Pumpkin Rumble won for the 10th time in 45 starts.