Page McKenney, Disco Chick look to beat up on statebreds

The first two stakes of the Parx Racing season, the Lyman and Foxy J. G. on Saturday, have come up strong, with large, competitive lineups. The $100,000 races are for Pennsylvania-breds at seven furlongs.

The Foxy J. G., with a field of 10 fillies and mares, is topped by the fast 6-year-old Disco Chick, who won this race a year ago. Standing in her way are last year’s Delaware Oaks winner, Dark Nile; Rowd E Allie, a winner of four of her last five races; and a 3-year-old facing older rivals, Rose Tree.

Page McKenney is the horse to beat in the Lyman, but the distance is a bit short for him, and he will be making his first start in 10 weeks. His chief rivals figure to be Tale of E Dubai, a winner of two of his last three; Someday Jones, who has lost only once in his last four starts; and Duval.

To defeat Disco Chick, you are going to have to catch her. That is not impossible, though, since she is winless in 10 starts since taking the Foxy J. G. last June. She has finished second in her last four races.

Still, Disco Chick will be taking a significant drop in class. The winners of her last five races, all open stakes, are Clothes Fall Off, Takrees, Sweet On Smokey, Paulassilverlining, and Stonetastic. Disco Chick is trained by Mario Serey Jr. and will be ridden by Hector Caballero.

Dark Nile will be making her first start since the Grade 1 Alabama last August. She came out of that race with an ankle chip, according to trainer Arnaud Delacour, and rehabbed at her owner’s WinStar Farm.

As she moves on this year, Dark Nile is likely to race at longer distances.

“She is doing very well and has been back with us since January,” Delacour said. “The distance is a touch short for her maybe, but there looks to be a lot of speed in the race, and she may be able to pick up the pieces.”

The path to the Lyman winner’s circle goes through Page McKenney. Even though it may not be at his preferred distance, he did win the Grade 3 General George at seven furlongs in 2016.

Page McKenney was under consideration for the Charles Town Classic but skipped that race in favor of the Lyman. Since his rough-trip second in the Harrison Johnson Memorial, Page McKenney missed some training time with a bruised heel, according to trainer Mary Eppler. He also missed a key work for the Classic when the Pimlico main track was closed for repairs earlier this month.

Tale of E Dubai and Duval both have more early speed than Page McKenney and will be dangerous if they can shake free early in this 12-horse field.