Mr. Boxcar survives foul claim

Mr. Boxcar ($12.60), dropping from open company to face statebreds for the first time since finishing a distant sixth to Triple Crown competitor Hard Spun last December, drew clear in deep stretch to win the $60,000 Peppy Addy Stakes at Philadelphia Park.

Ridden by Jose Flores for trainer Dee Curry, Mr. Boxcar put away My Three Boys inside the sixteenth pole to win the stakes restricted to Pennsylvania-bred 3-year-olds by 1o1/2 lengths. He covered a mile and 70 yards on a fast track in 1:42.28.

David Mello, the rider of My Three Boys, claimed foul after Mr. Boxcar drifted in slightly and made light contact with his mount at the eighth pole, but the stewards disallowed the objection.

My Three Boys held second as the 7-5 favorite. Louie's Terra, a maiden and the longest shot on the board at 14-1, finished third.

It was the third win, and first stakes victory, in 12 starts for Mr. Boxcar. In his only two previous stakes tries against statebreds, he finished second in a sprint and sixth of nine, beaten 20 lengths by Hard Spun, in the Pennsylvania Nursery.