Pure Sensation scores repeat victory in Parx Dash

The veteran campaigner Pure Sensation left no doubt about it on Saturday, powering clear in the stretch for a 5 3/4-length repeat victory in the Grade 3 Parx Dash.

Pure Sensation runs as a homebred for Patricia Generazio and is trained by Christophe Clement. The same connections also have the outstanding turf sprinter Disco Rico, giving them a strong hand in this division. Pure Sensation earned his sixth stakes victory but his first win of 2017 in the Parx Dash. The Florida-bred gelding bounced back from a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Jaipur Invitational behind Disco Rico, who broke his stablemate's North American record in the process.

Pure Sensation won last year's Parx Dash as part of a three-race win streak that also included the Jaipur and the Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational. He finished third, beaten just more than a length, in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

When the gates opened Saturday, it was Bold Thunder, in post 8, who determinedly wrested command from the field through the scramble of the opening quarter. But Pure Sensation and Kendrick Carmouche, who had broken from post 9, kept the leader in their sights, turned up the pressure around the far turn, and captured the lead as both cut the corner well off the rail.

The outcome was never in doubt from there, as Pure Sensation kicked away and stopped the clock in 57.24 seconds for five furlongs on firm turf.

Mongolian Saturday, the winner of the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, closed well to edge Bold Thunder by a neck in a crowded photo for the placings. Bold Thunder was another neck ahead of Pool Winner, who was a neck ahead of Platinum Prince, who edged second choice Richard’s Boy by a head.