Page McKenney takes off-the-turf Robellino

For the fourth time since early May, Page McKenney stayed in a race that was originally scheduled for turf and moved to the main track. And just like he did the previous three times, he won again.

The Maryland-based Page McKenney earned his fourth consecutive victory and first stakes win when he put away 6-5 favorite Edge of Reality after a spirited duel through six furlongs and withstood a stretch rally by 10-1 outsider Van Persie to prevail by 1 3/4 lengths in the $75,000 Robellino for Pennsylvania-breds at Penn National.

Claimed out of a sixth-place finish for $16,000 in July 2013 at Penn National, the 4-year-old Page McKenney ($5.60) has won 7 of 12 starts for his new connections, trainer Mary Eppler and owner Adam Staple. The Robellino was his stakes debut following a series of starter allowance and allowance races for statebreds and open company.

Ridden by Horatio Karamanos, Page McKenney and Edge of Reality, a Grade 3 winner as a 3-year-old last season, were heads apart and four lengths clear of third-place Van Persie through the first six furlongs of the Robellino. Edge of Reality faded from contention, but Van Persie launched a serious challenge and got within a head at the eighth pole before Page McKenney fought back and surged again to draw clear. The winning time on a track rated good was 1:45.57.

Van Persie was clearly second best, 1 1/2 lengths in front of Starry Moon. It was another 6 3/4 lengths back to Edge of Reality.