Imprints in Gold goes for a stakes
Imprints in Gold, a 6-year-old gelding, has been a claimer for almost his entire career. Running for claiming prices between $10,000 and $35,000 at tracks in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New York, Imprints in Gold has been a consistent performer, finishing first or second 25 times in 49 starts.
Friday night at Penn National, Imprints in Gold has a big shot to become a stakes winner.
Recently claimed for $27,500 by trainer Mike Miceli, Imprints in Gold owns the best last two Beyer Speed Figures among a field of nine older Pennsylvania-bred sprinters in the $40,000 John J. Shumaker Stakes.
Formerly in the barn of Scott Lake, Imprints in Gold will be dangerous in the six-furlong Shumaker if he can duplicate either of his last two efforts in New York, a wire-to-wire victory over $30,000 rivals, worth a Beyer Figure of 92, followed by a neck loss and a Beyer of 90 against similar competition on June 23.
A year ago, Imprints in Gold shipped into Penn National to run second, beaten a half-length, in the Shumaker.
Overall, he is 4-4-2 in 12 starts at the track.
Lone Traveler, who has won three of his last four starts at Philadelphia Park and Delaware, looks like the chief threat to Imprints in Gold. He moves back to the main track after two good efforts on turf. In his last start at six furlongs, Lone Traveler, trained by Ramon Preciado, beat $20,000 claimers while earning a Beyer of 91.
Kelly's K.C. and K Mac, both of whom have run respectably in the Shumaker earlier in their careers, are back to take another shot.
K Mac was third in last year's running after fighting for the lead for five furlongs, but has not won in more than three years. Kelly's K.C., third in the 2002 Shumaker, will be making his third start after being sidelined for 18 months and adds Lasix, a 30-percent-success angle for trainer Flint Stites.
Post time for Saturday's card, which includes the track's premier event, the 32nd running of the $50,000 Pennsylvania Governor's Cup, has been moved up to 6:15 p.m. Eastern.