Monmouth: Pair of wire-to-wire wins

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Tangier Sound dictated all the pace and drew away to a commanding 4 1/4-length lead in the $50,000 Klassy Briefcase Stakes on Saturday afternoon at Monmouth Park.

Tangier Sound ($10.40) ran five furlongs on turf in 55.91 seconds in the stakes for fillies and mares.

Tangier Sound has developed into a top turf sprinter during the past year. Almost in desperation, trainer Jim Ryerson sent Tangier Sound to Colonial Downs in an effort to win her maiden race in July 2002. She won easily at 5 1/2 furlongs in her grass debut.

She returned as a confident runner, having found her preferred surface.

The Klassy Briefcase victory improved Tangier Sound's record to 6-2-0 in 10 turf sprints. The Klassy Briefcase was decided early when Tangier Sound broke on top under Julian Pimentel and faced no challenges.

Tangier Sound maintained open daylight on her pursuers and sprinted clear of the pack in the stretch to expand her margin steadily.

"She gets very brave on the lead, and that's what she did today," Pimentel said.

Ryerson was pleased and relieved to see his filly on an uncontested lead.

"I thought there would be speed from the inside," he said. "She had a breather today, and when she's not pressed, she's tough."

Melody of Colors finished second, with Amber's Way third.

The Twin Lights Stakes, the other $50,000 stakes on the card, produced another front-running win.

Feisty Bull ($9.20) went gate to wire under Chuckie Lopez to win the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Feisty Bull now has a win, a second, and a third in three starts since switching to the grass.

Sarie Marais launched a strong stretch bid that came up three-quarters of a length short in her North American debut for trainer Michael Dickenson.