Crittenden prevails by neck in P D J F Stakes

Crittenden surged late and nipped Oak Brook to win the inaugural running of the $75,000 P D J F Stakes on Saturday evening at Indiana Grand.

Ridden by Fernando de la Cruz for trainer Eoin Harty and Godolphin, Crittenden ($15.60) won two turf races at Tampa Bay Downs, finished sixth behind Ocean Knight and Divining Rod when switched to dirt for the Sam Davis Stakes there, and most recently had finished third in a rare second-level allowance for 3-year-olds, run on turf at Keeneland.

That race's winner, Nun the Less, scratched from the P D J F, but his trainer, Chris Block, also had Oak Brook for the race. Oak Brook, who tracked the leaders, appeared to be on his way to victory in midstretch, but Crittenden surged late and ran him down in the shadow of the wire, winning by a neck.

On a course slickened by heavy rain that fell a few minutes before scheduled post time, Serious Talk and Thirtysilverpieces disputed splits of 24.05 seconds, 47.52, and 1:11.90. Oak Brook and Crittenden tracked in the stalking pack, Oak Brook making the first move, but Crittenden, finding his best stride the last furlong or so, surged late and ran him down, stopping the timer in 1:30.11 for 7 1/2 furlongs on a course still rated firm. Thirtysilverpieces held third over race favorite Saham.

By Distorted Humor out of Calla Lilly, Crittenden won for the third time in six starts, capturing his first stakes.

Cara Marie wires Indy Star

Earlier on the card, Cara Marie scored a sharp front-running victory over seven other 3-year-old fillies in another new race on the Indiana Grand stakes schedule, the $75,000 Indy Star.

Opening up early after breaking from post 1 under Antonio Gallardo, Cara Marie whizzed along on the lead, setting splits of 23.27 and 46.36 while pursued by race favorite Mizz Money. Cara Marie took a clear lead to the stretch call and held firm to the finish, beating Mizz Money by two lengths, with Mighty Souper up late for third. Cara Marie ran 7 1/2 furlongs on firm turf in 1:28.39 and paid $8.80 to win.

Trained by Kellyn Gorder for Three Chimneys Farm, Cara Marie won for the second time in five starts while making her stakes debut. Following a Turfway Park maiden win in her third start, Cara Marie had made her stakes debut last month at Keeneland, finishing fourth over soft ground in a 9 1/2-furlong allowance race. A $460,000 auction buy, Cara Marie is by Unbridled’s Song out of the A.P. Indy mare Miss Kilroy.