Johnny Jump Up pulls upset in Swatara Stakes

Locally based Johnny Jump Up posted a 23-1 upset in the $100,000 Swatara Stakes at Penn National on Wednesday night, outsprinting favored Dr Blarney for the early lead and then turning back a strong bid from Monongahela in the stretch to score by three-quarters of a length.

A 7-year-old Jump Start gelding, Johnny Jump Up had won optional-claiming races at Penn National in two of his last three starts while in for a $25,000 claiming tag. He was claimed by owner John Julia and trainer Kimberly Graci for $16,000 four starts back in June.

Johnny Jump Up opened a clear lead before reaching the first turn of the 1 1/16-mile Swatara. He set fractions of 23.07, 46.74, and 1:11.10 under Julio Hernandez before Dr Blarney, the 9-5 favorite in the nine-horse field, moved up outside of him nearing the stretch. But Dr Blarney could not get by and then flattened out.

Monongahela, who was well back early, rallied three wide on the far turn and looked like he might go by Johnny Jump Up in upper stretch but had to settle for second. It was 1 3/4 lengths back to Dr Blarney in third.

Johnny Jump Up, who was making his first start since September, paid $48.40 while covering the course in 1:44.36. He is now 11 for 43 in his career. The Swatara is his first stakes win, although he did finish second in the statebred Danzig Stakes at Penn National in 2014.

Please Flatter Me wires Blue Mountain Juvenile Fillies

Please Flatter Me stayed perfect in two starts by going wire to wire in the $100,000 Blue Mountain Juvenile Fillies, a six-furlong sprint for Pennsylvania-bred 2-year-old fillies.

The daughter of Munnings was bet down to 4-5 favoritism in the 10-horse field off her 8 1/2-length debut win at Penn National in mid-October.

Please Flatter Me bumped with Clever Sarah at the start and then set the early pace on a short lead outside that rival under jockey Alex Cintron. She then repulsed a bid from Tara's Talent entering the stretch before drawing off to win by four lengths.

Trained by Mark Reid and owned by Smart Angle LLC, she paid $3.80 and was timed in 1:11.24.

Ujjayi outfinished Tara's Talent by a neck for second. It was five lengths back to Key Light in fourth.

Smarter Than U was unruly at the gate and unseated her rider while reluctant to load.

There was a mandatory payout on the Hollywood Hi 5. The 20-cent wager had a $25,666 carryover coming into the race and paid $456.14. The winning numbers were 5-9-6-1-7 and the order of finish was Please Flatter Me (4-5), Ujjayi (6-1), Tara's Talent (7-2), Key Light (21-1), and Strega Nonna (56-1).