Hobo Ridge easily scores in Turning for Home match race

Hobo Ridge had an easy time collecting the biggest paycheck of his 50-race career Saturday at Parx Racing.

Left as one of only two starters when the $75,000 Turning for Home Stakes was taken off the turf and moved to a muddy main track, the 7-year-old Hobo Ridge found himself all alone when Edge of Reality stumbled badly when the gates opened. As a result, Hobo Ridge carried jockey Angel Castillo to his third win on a 12-race Owners Appreciation Day program and coasted home in the 1 1/16-mile feature by 24 lengths.

Despite the fact Hobo Ridge owned two previous wins on dirt, including a five-length romp in a 1 1/8-mile off-the-turf event the last time he ran on the main track, and Change of Command was racing on dirt for the first time after 27 starts on turf, Hobo Ridge paid $5.20 as second choice to the 1-5 favorite. He completed the distance on a sealed track in 1:47.49.

Trained by Marcos Zulueta for M-Z Racing Partnership, Hobo Ridge is now 10 for 50 with earnings of $328,074.