Officer Ipod falters; Glorious Song holds on

One odds-on favorite disappointed and one came through Saturday at Philadelphia Park in a pair of $75,000 stakes for Pennsylvania-bred juveniles.

In the Pennsylvania Nursery, Officer Ipod could not duplicate the front-running score in the Hi Yield last month at Penn National that drove his odds to 3-5 Saturday. After battling on the lead with Count the Gold for a half-mile in 45.03 seconds, Officer Ipod, with Joe Rocco Jr. riding, didn't have enough left when St. John's Gospel, who had been well off the early pace, made his rally.

St. John's Gospel, under jockey Hector Ramos, closed strongly to win by 2 3/4 lengths. Officer Ipod was a clear second, 5 3/4 lengths ahead of third-place Count the Gold in the field of six colts and geldings. Saint John's Gospel, a son of Activist trained by Andrea Gonzalez, returned $10.40 after covering the seven furlongs in 1:24.87.

In the Eavesdrop, also at seven furlongs, the 1-2 Glorious Song gave her backers an anxious moment or two before prevailing by three-quarters of a length.

Second in the early going but on the lead after a half-mile in 45.93 seconds, Glorious Smile was all out to prevail under jockey Jose Flores. She managed to hold off the second coming of Blank Invitation, who had the lead after a quarter-mile, then dropped back, only to rally late for second under Edwin King Jr. It was another three-quarters of a length back to third-place Lady Kristi in the field of six fillies.

Glorious Smile ($3), a daughter of Honour and Glory trained by Robert Reid Jr., finished in 1:26.45. The victory came on the heels of her wire-to-wire performance in last month's Blue Mountain Juvenile at Penn National.