Jockey's mistake aids High Moment

High Moment capitalized on an error by jockey Pablo Fragoso on apparent winner Meribel to nip J'ray by a nose in Wednesday's $100,000 Dr. James Penny Memorial Handicap at Philadelphia Park.

Fragoso and Meribel, the 2-1 second choice, had a clear-cut lead in deep stretch of the 1 1/16-mile turf race when he apparently misjudged the finish line and stopped riding inside the sixteenth pole, turning the race into a duel between the Maryland-based High Moment and New York shipper J'ray.

Coming in from New York for the mount for trainer Christophe Clement, Fragoso had little experience riding the Philly Park turf course and told the stewards that he thought the sixteenth pole was in fact, the wire. The sixteenth pole sits just after a gap in the turf course where the 1 1/8-mile chute links up with the main course.

Meanwhile, Harry Vega, on High Moment, just kept riding.

"I had no idea of what was happening," Vega said. "I just kept my head down and kept riding to the wire. I was completely focused on what I was doing."

High Moment ($22), trained by Rodney Jenkins, completed the distance in 1:42.87 while winning for the fourth time in 8 lifetime starts.

J'ray, the 3-5 favorite trained by Todd Pletcher, was a half-length clear of Meribel.