Fast and Accurate cruises in Robellino; Imply takes Lyphard

Fast and Accurate made short work of his 11 rivals in the $100,000 Robellino Stakes at Penn National on Sunday. The Robellino was one of two 1 1/16-mile turf stakes on the card for Pennsylvania-breds.

Based in Kentucky with trainer Mike Maker, Fast and Accurate came into the Robellino off a close second-place finish in a Keeneland allowance race. Although he has spent the bulk of his career in open company, he did win the Alphabet Soup over this course and distance last September.

Tyler Conner, who is second in the Penn National rider standings, waited patiently in stalking position with Fast and Accurate as Saratoga Jack and Papal Law went head to head through fast fractions of 22.53 and 45.80 seconds. Conner sent Fast and Accurate up the inside on the far turn and then took him outside Saratoga Jack nearing the stretch to take the lead. Fast and Accurate drew off to score by 5 1/2 lengths under a hand ride.

The 5-year-old gray son of Hansen paid $3.20 and was timed in 1:39.77 over a firm course that was producing fast times.

Beyond Smart rallied for second by a head over Driven to Compete, who had lodged a three-wide bid outside Fast and Accurate nearing the stretch. Jockey Scott Spieth had to steady Beyond Smart behind Driven to Compete in upper stretch when things got tight. Spieth took Beyond Smart outside Driven to Compete for the final furlong and rerallied to get up for the place.

Fast and Accurate is now 7 for 23 in his career with more than $600,000 in earnings. He races for Skychai Racing, Kendall Hansen, and Sand Dollar Stable.

Lyphard: Imply much the best

Imply was much the best as she scored a repeat victory in the $100,000 Lyphard Stakes, for statebred fillies and mares.

Imply, a 6-year-old E Dubai mare, is owned by Barlar LLC and trained by Bernie Houghton. Julio Hernandez was aboard Sunday, just as he was a year ago.
Perennial and Smokinpaddylassie alternated on the lead in the Lyphard while Imply stalked them three wide in the second flight. Smokinpaddylassie came away with the lead on the far turn but was quickly joined by Imply from the outside.

Imply took command in upper stretch and pulled away to win by 3 3/4 lengths. She paid $2.20 to win in the six-horse field and was timed in 1:40.98.
Wildcat Cartridge split horses in the stretch and finished well to take second, three-quarters of a length ahead of Smokinpaddylassie in third.

The win was the 10th of Imply’s career from 26 starts and her fifth statebred stakes score. The win pushed her earnings above $600,000. Imply is now 2 for 2 on the season.