Monmouth: Wicked Tune hangs on by neck in My Frenchman

Wicked Tune handled the step up to stakes company to record his fourth straight win since February in Saturday’s $60,000 My Frenchman Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Ridden by Elvis Trujillo, the 6-year-old Wicked Tune ($3.80), the favorite among six turf sprinters, broke a bit sluggishly but still had little problem clearing the field while setting modest early fractions of 23.32 and 46.52 seconds. He was two lengths ahead in midstretch and held off a late rally by A P Elvis to prevail by a neck. Two years ago, Wicked Tune missed by a neck in this same race.

“He broke a little slow but it didn’t take long to get him going,” Trujillo said. “The pace wasn’t actually that fast so he had it all his own way. The turf was a little soft, but he handled it well.

Night Officer finished third as the 9-5 second choice. The winning time for 5 1/2 furlongs over a course rated good was 1:04.70.

Trained by Jane Cibelli for owner Patricia Generazio, Wicked Tune prepped for his stakes appearance by winning a second-level optional $40,000 claimer at Delaware Park on July 15 in his first start since March 24. He is now 9 for 29 lifetime with earnings of $279,858.