Firsthand Report pulls clear late in Power By Far

Todd Pletcher does not run a lot of horses at Parx Racing, but when he does, he ships in with a purpose.

After going 9-24 during 2016 at Parx, Pletcher won for the eighth time from just 20 runners this year when Firsthand Report scampered away from odds-on favorite Fat Kat to win the $100,000 Power By Far Stakes by three lengths Saturday.

Fat Kat set moderate splits of 23.13 and 46.06 in the five-furlong turf dash for Pennsylvania-bred fillies and mares, but Firsthand Report and jockey John Bisono stayed glued to the favorite around the turn and into the stretch, got the better of her at about the eighth pole, and pulled clear late for a decisive victory. She was timed in 58.03 over firm going and paid $9 as the second choice.

Zensational Mary finished third, two lengths behind Fat Kat, in a race from which four entrants were scratched and two more, Candid Cathy and Sweet Little Lies, had serious trouble on the turn.

Firsthand Report is a 4-year-old by Blame out of Kinsey by Delaware Township who is owned by Star Ladies Racing. She’s now a strong 5-3-2 from 12 starts and won her second straight Pennsylvania-bred stakes race.

Threeohtwocassie in Crowd Pleaser

Blinkers evidently have made a major difference for Threeohtwocassie, who jumped from a last-start $25,000 maiden-claiming win at Delaware Park to beat Iggy Loco by three-quarters of a length in the $100,000 Crowd Pleaser Stakes on Saturday at Parx.

Iggo Loco finished 2 1/4 lengths in front of odds-on Fast and Accurate, who set a moderate tempo but was swarmed at the top of the stretch and couldn’t finish with the first two home.

Threeohtwocassie, trained by Anthony Pecoraro for Black Cloud Racing Stable LLC, lost five times before the recent Delaware maiden score. He began racing on Lasix four starts ago, then added blinkers for his races two starts back – to a very positive end.

Threeohtwocassie led all the way in his first win, but settled comfortably off the pace Saturday under Edwin Gonzalez, coming off the inside at the top of the stretch to run down Fast and Accurate and hold clear Iggy Loco’s late move.

Threeohtwocassie, who is by E Dubai and out of Exquisite Cassie, by King of Kings, ran 1 1/16 miles over firm turf in 1:44.16 and paid $38.20 to win.