Mr Ritz sets track record in Presque Isle Mile
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
English-born Mr Ritz led home a diverse field as he established a track record winning the $200,000 Presque Isle Mile – actually contested at 1 1/16 miles – on Monday night at the Pennsylvania track.
Mr Ritz, who races as a homebred for Earle I. Mack LLC, is a 4-year-old son of Oasis Dream, who stands for Juddmonte in England. The colt is out of Que Puntual, who Mack also campaigned; the mare finished second in the 1000 Guineas in her native Argentina before coming to North America, where she was a Grade 2 winner at Woodbine and Grade 1-placed at Saratoga.
Mr Ritz also has been well traveled in the course of his career. After winning his debut in 2017 at Kempton Park in England, he came across the Atlantic, becoming a minor stakes winner last year in Indiana before finishing third in the Grade 3 Ontario Derby at Woodbine. This year, he returned from a seven-month layoff to finish second by a nose in the Grade 2 Eclipse Stakes in May for trainer Josie Carroll, then was fifth in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes after being bumped at the start. He set himself up for his trip to Pennsylvania by winning the Grade 3 Seagram Cup on Aug. 11 at Woodbine by 1 1/4 lengths in front-running fashion.
Sent away as the favorite on Monday night under Patrick Husbands, Mr Ritz ($6.60) assumed command through an opening half-mile in 46.98 seconds and kept a narrow lead while hounded closely by longshot Knights Key through six furlongs in a sharp 1:10.95. Mr Ritz began to shake clear in upper stretch and continued on strongly to the wire, winning by 1 1/4 lengths. He stopped the clock in 1:41.91 for the 1 1/16 miles.
Special Forces, who had one horse beat after a half-mile, rallied to be second by a half-length over Grade 1 winner Ohio.
One race earlier, Ledecka prevailed in a close finish in the $100,000 Malvern Rose Stakes for Pennsylvania-bred 3-year-old fillies.
Ledecka ($9.40), under Daniel Centeno, rallied past leader Redeem My Heart in deep stretch to win by a half-length, with Key Light just another neck back in third. The fillies finished the mile in 1:38.64.
This was the stakes debut for Ledecka, a Tiznow filly who is trained by Arnaud Delacour for LNJ Foxwoods. She won her maiden in her prior start, on Aug. 24 at Colonial Downs.