Completed Pass gets another shot at Pure Sensation in Parx Dash

Talk about moving up on turf.

Completed Pass came within a neck of defeating turf sprint standout Pure Sensation last month in just his third start on the grass and is set to get another crack at the $1.6 million earner Saturday in the Grade 3, $200,000 Parx Dash at Parx Racing.

The Parx Dash, at about five furlongs on turf, also drew defending winner Vision Perfect, Grade 3 winner Rocket Heat, and Group 3 winner Snowday. A field of 10 signed on, plus two main-track-only entrants. There is a 50 percent chance of rain Saturday, according to The Weather Channel.

Completed Pass is a go on turf or dirt, said Claudio Gonzalez, who trains the stakes-winning son of Pass Rush for Robert Bone.

“He’ll run no matter what,” said Gonzalez.

Completed Pass has registered five of his six wins on dirt, but it was not until he was moved to turf that he became a stakes winner. It happened May 17, in his second start on the grass, when he won the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint at Pimlico by a length. One start prior, Completed Pass earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 98 when he was second in his turf debut in the $100,000 King T. Leatherbury on April 20 at Laurel.

“He improved a lot,” Gonzalez said of the surface switch. “No question about it.”

Completed Pass made his first start for Gonzalez in February. The decision to move the horse to the grass came because he has a turf foot, said Gonzalez, as well as some pedigree for the grass. His full brother Containment won his grass debut.

Completed Pass comes off a runner-up finish to Pure Sensation, closing the gap late on that wire-to-wire winner in the $100,000 Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup at Penn National on June 1.

“The other horse is really nice,” Gonzalez said.

Alex Cintron has the mount on Completed Pass from post 2.

“He doesn’t need the lead,” Gonzalez said. “He can be right there, sitting second. Pure Sensation is really fast. We’ll see what happens.”

Pure Sensation is returning to the Parx course over which he is 5 for 6 with earnings of $802,000. He’s won three runnings of the Grade 3 Turf Monster locally – at 4, 6, and 7 – and two runnings of the Parx Dash, at 5 and 6. Pure Sensation, now 8, has won both of his starts this year, opening his season in April with an allowance victory at Gulfstream Park.

Paco Lopez has the mount on Pure Sensation for breeder and owner Patricia Generazio and trainer Christophe Clement.

Rocket Heat was third last out to Wet Your Whistle, who after their meeting captured the Grade 1 Highlander at Woodbine.