DeCarlo collects second comeback win aboard Nonna's Boy in Lamplighter

Nonna’s Boy, switching to turf for the first time after six starts on dirt, provided longtime jockey Chris DeCarlo with his second victory since he returned earlier this week from injuries that kept him sidelined for 10 months in Saturday’s $60,000 Lamplighter Stakes for 3-year-olds at Monmouth Park.

DeCarlo, 46, had gone 1 for 5, including two races earlier on the card, since he began his comeback on Wednesday following a long recuperation from a broken foot and torn labrum in his right shoulder. It was his first win at Monmouth since May 17, 2014.

Nonna’s Boy ($4.40), making just his second start going two turns, led throughout the 1 1/16-mile turf race and finished 3 1/2 lengths in front of another first-time turf runner, Donbetwithbruno. Both horses are owned by Repole Stable and trained by Todd Pletcher but were uncoupled in the betting. The winning time over a course rated firm was 1:41.11.

It was Pletcher's fourth stakes win of the Monmouth meet, including a pair of Grade 3 events.

"He broke really sharp," DeCarlo said. "I just tried to stay quiet on him like Todd told me to because Todd said he could get on the bit and pull, which he did, but he relaxed for me and just did his own thing. When I asked him to quicken at the top of the stretch he accelerated and that was it.”

Florida shipper Black Martino finished third, a head behind Donbetwithbruno, in a field reduced to six by a pair of scratches. West Village was fourth as the 9-5 second choice, fourth lengths behind Black Martino.