Monmouth Park: Slew's Exchange takes Klassy Briefcase for first stakes win

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Slew’s Exchange, the “overachiever” in Eddie Plesa Jr.’s barn, is a stakes winner following her triumph in the $62,400 Klassy Briefcase for female turf sprinters Sunday at Monmouth Park.

A 4-year-old, Slew’s Exchange extended her winning streak to three and took home the coveted black type that comes with stakes success.

And she did it easily in her third stakes attempt.

Slew’s Exchange, with Elvis Trujillo aboard, broke alertly from her inside post and tucked right behind the pacesetting Krusin Kelly.

Slew’s Exchange angled out to engage the leader midway on the turn and swiftly pulled clear at the top of the lane. She finished 1 3/4 lengths ahead of the late-running Diamond d’Oro, with Sounds of the City, the 7-5 favorite, third.

It was the fifth win in 12 starts for the lightly raced homebred for Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak Plantation.

“I was just tickled to death that she was able to get black type and win a stakes race,” Plesa said. “Mrs. Weber was here today, so that made it extra special. It is something that I do believe the filly deserved, and we got it done. She’s been an overachiever in this barn. She just goes out there and runs a hard race every time she runs.”

That’s also true of just about every horse Plesa has saddled at the meet. He’s atop the trainers’ standings with 20 wins from 64 starters, giving him a five-win lead over Ramon Moya.

Slew’s Exchange paid $5.80 to win. The time was 1:03.50 for the 5 1/2 furlongs on the course rated “good.”

Queen Chatanika was fourth, followed by Nastar Medallist, Krusin Kelly, Ms. Cruisen’, and Little Stitch.

Dr. Goldfarb wins Malouf series opener

Dr. Goldfarb took the $35,000 opening round of the Malouf Auto Group Starter Handicap Series on turf with a 1 1/4-length win over El Legado.

There are three legs in the series, each one longer in distance than the one prior and with increasingly larger purses. The series returns Aug. 18 at 1 1/8 miles for $40,000 and concludes with a $45,000 purse for the 1 3/8-mile finale Sept. 8. The Malouf is open to horses who started for a claiming price of $12,500 or less in 2012-13.

Dr. Goldfarb logged his fourth win in the last seven races for trainer Pat McBurney. Jockey Angel Serpa and the 4-year-old gelding sat fourth before launching the winning three-wide bid turning for home.

The time was 1:36.09 on the course rated “good.” Dr. Goldfarb paid $8 to win as the 3-1 second choice. Back Away, the 3-2 favorite, was third