Parx: Phil Dancer collects first stakes victory in Philmont

Phil Dancer, racing without blinkers for the first time in his five-race career, responded to the equipment change by coming from off the pace to win Tuesday’s $75,000 Philmont Stakes for 3-year-olds at Parx Racing.

A full brother to three-time stakes winner Ann’s Smart Dancer, Phil Dancer ($14.60) trailed by three lengths with a furlong remaining in the seven-furlong sprint, but responded to jockey Frankie Pennington’s urging to grab the lead at the sixteenth pole and drew off to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Cop a Tude nosed out 28-1 outsider Running Bull for second. The winning time was 1:23.57.

Jake N Elwood, the 6-5 favorite on the basis of his ninth-length score over maidens last time out, set the pace to deep stretch before fading to fourth. New York shipper King and Crusader finished sixth as the 9-5 second choice.

Phil Dancer was bred by longtime public handicapper Craig Donnelly, his father, Russ Harris, and Craig’s son Jeff Harris. A son of Dace with Ravens, Phil Dancer is trained by Butch Reid.