Geroux takes Zipessa wire to wire in Dr. James Penny Memorial

Florent Geroux did not ride very much on Sunday and Monday of Fourth of July weekend but he made the most of his time.

After winning the Grade 1, $300,000 United Nations with World Approval on Sunday at Monmouth Park in his lone start of the day, Geroux traveled Monday to Parx Racing, where he won the Grade 3, $200,000 Dr. James Penny Memorial on Zipessa for trainer Michael Stidham. In his only other Monday mount, Geroux finished second in a $25,000 maiden-claiming race at Parx.

Monday's trip to Parx, was Geroux's first since last September, when he won the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion on I'm a Chatterbox.

Geroux put Zipessa on the lead while keeping a tight hold in the Penny Memorial, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares. Zipessa set comfortable fractions of 24.37, 48.72, and 1:12.36 on an open advantage over the firm course, then was not seriously challenged in the stretch while picking up the pace to score by two lengths over 2-1 second choice Tuttipaesi.

Zipessa was timed for a mile in 1:35.62 and came home in 5.80 seconds to complete the distance in 1:41.42. The victory was the fourth from seven starts for Zipessa, a 4-year-old daughter of City Zip, and her first stakes win. She paid $7.20 as the third betting choice in the seven-horse field. She more than doubled her career earnings to $227,850.

Tuttipaesi was restrained early and was a bit keen on the backstretch. She stayed to the inside into the stretch and finished well. It was 1 1/4 lengths back to Tiger Ride in third.

Tammy the Torpedo, the 17-10 favorite, stalked Zipessa to the stretch but lacked a closing response and was nipped for third by a neck by Tiger Ride.