Regal Glory clearly best in Penn Oaks

Under an extremely confident ride by jockey Luis Saez, Regal Glory won the $100,000 Penn Oaks at Penn National on Saturday by 2 3/4 lengths.

Never far back, Regal Glory moved up to challenge four wide on the far turn of the one-mile turf race with Saez keeping a tight hold of her. She challenged for the lead outside Alasaayil in upper stretch without being asked and cruised home with Saez never actually setting her down.

The Oaks was Saez’s second stakes win of the afternoon. Two races earlier he had won the $100,000 Susquehanna on Dynatail.

"I had a lot of horse all the way," Saez said. "When she came to the stretch and switched the lead, she was running. I was saving it. When you're winning so easily like that, it's better to save it for the next race."

Regal Glory paid $2.20 to win in the six-horse field. She paid $2.10 to place and show. In the place pool, $67,521 of the $80,884 total was wagered on her. In the show pool, $140,058 of the $157,049 was safely riding on her.

Regal Glory was timed in 1:39.43 over the yielding course.

Alasaayil, who bid for the lead three wide on the far turn, was second-best, finishing 5 1/2 lengths ahead of Jennifer’s Dream in third.

Regal Glory is trained by Chad Brown and was bred and is owned by Paul Pompa Jr.

"I thought she ran huge because she was four wide basically the whole way," Brown said. "I was very impressed with her race. I think it's her best race to date."

A daughter of Animal Kingdom, she won both of her starts at 2, a maiden race and the Stewart Manor, both six-furlong turf sprints. Prior to the Penn Oaks, she had finished second in both the Grade 2 Appalachian at Keeneland and the Grade 3 Sweetest Chant at Gulfstream Park.

Pa. Governor’s Cup: Pure Sensation delivers

Pure Sensation was never headed as the 3-5 favorite in the $100,000 Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup, hanging on by a neck in the five-furlong turf sprint that is part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships.

Pure Sensation went right to the front under jockey Kendrick Carmouche, who kept him well out in the course on the backstretch. Completed Pass, closest to the winner throughout, made a run at Pure Sensation in the stretch and the pair brushed twice coming to the wire.

Nice Tune, who was last in the four-horse field early, finished with a belated bid to get within a length of Completed Pass.

Pure Sensation paid $3.40 and $2.10 to place. There was no show wagering on the race. Pure Sensation set fractions of 22.21 and 45.59 seconds over the yielding course and completed the distance in 58.03.

Expertly handled by trainer Christophe Clement throughout his career, which began in in 2013, 8-year-old Pure Sensation is now 12 for 32. The Governor’s Cup is his ninth stakes win and pushed his earnings past $1.6 million.

Carmouche and Pure Sensation are 7 for 12 together.

Clement prefers to race Pure Sensation on firm turf courses and it is possible Saturday’s footing may not have been 100 percent to his liking.

Susquehanna: Dynatail shows her class

Dynatail won her first stakes since June 2017 in the Susquehanna, as she dug in tenaciously in upper stretch to turn back a host of pursuers. She then widened when put under a drive by jockey Luis Saez and ultimately held Enchanted Ghost at bay by two lengths.

The Susquehanna was Dynatail’s first stakes score since she took the $200,000 Penn Oaks on the Penn Mile Day card two years earlier. She is now 2 for 2 at Penn National.

Trained by Mike Dini and based at Monmouth Park, Dynatail was winning for the seventh time in 27 starts. She paid $3 in the Susquehanna, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares that is part of the MATCH Series. She was timed in 1:46.12 over yielding turf.

Dynatail stalked Unbridled Escape early, took the lead nearing the stretch, pulled away, and then was not seriously challenged. It was 3 1/4 lengths back from Enchanted Ghost to third-place finisher Souper Striking.

Chocolate Town Sprint: Midtowncharlybrown wire to wire

Midtowncharlybrown went to the front at the start of the $100,000 Chocolate Town Sprint and was never headed, lasting over Killybegs Captain to win the six-furlong race by a neck.

The win improved Midtowncharlybrown’s Penn National record to six wins and a second from seven starts. In his last appearance at Penn National, Midtowncharlybrown won the $200,000 Fabulous Strike last November.

In all, the 5-year-old is now 9 for 19. He is based at Parx with trainer Eddie Coletti Jr. The Chocolate Town is part of the MATCH Series.

Midtowncharlybrown set fractions of 22.66 and 44.41 seconds while being tracked by Killybegs Captain. Midtowncharlybrown turned back a bid from Killybegs Captain nearing the stretch and then held that rival off late as he attempted to come on again.

Midtowncharlybrown, who was ridden by Roberto Rosado, paid $5.80 as part of an entry with Midnightcharly, who finished third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Killybegs Captain. Midtowncharlybrown was timed in 1:08.83.

Laki, the even-money favorite, dropped further back than usual early after racing in tight quarters between horses during the opening quarter-mile. He finished fourth beaten a total of 2 3/4 lengths.