Parx: Royal Currier names Pennsylvania's best

The 3-year-old sprinter Royal Currier, who set a track record for six furlongs in the $250,000 Gallant Bob Handicap, on Wednesday night was named as the Pennsylvania Horse of the Year at the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Associaton’s dinner Thursday night honoring Parx Racing’s best horses and horsemen for 2011.

A gelded son of 2000 Preakness champion Red Bullet trained by Patricia Farro, Royal Currier won Parx’s premier sprint for 3-year-olds on Pennsylvania Derby Day in late September, running the six furlongs in a record 1:07.51. For the year, Royal Currier won 4 times in 13 starts, including the $75,000 Valley Forge at Parx.

Afleet Again, trained by Butch Reid for Kasey K Racing Stable, was honored as the track’s top older male after bringing home Parx’s first win in a Breeders’ Cup race by upsetting the Marathon at 41-1.

Ann’s Smart Dancer, the feel-good story of the year at Parx, was named the top 3-year-old filly after winning three consecutive stakes last summer. Trained by Reid, Ann’s Smart Dancer is named for the late wife of long time public handicapper Craig Donnelly.

Other highlights among the award winners included Kendrick Carmouche, who became the first jockey in the track’s history to collect four straight leading rider titles, along with leading owner Mat Stables and leading trainer Juan Carlos Guerrero. Among those with fewer than 150 starts, ranked by percentage, Ed Lehman as the top trainer and Joey P Stables the leading owner.