Retribution wins stretch battle with longshot Fire Pit in PTHA President's Cup Sprint
?q=100)
Retribution, a 3-year-old colt trained by Cherie DeVaux, wore down front-running longshot Fire Pit to win the $75,000 PTHA President’s Sprint at Parx Racing on Monday. The lightly raced sprinter has now won two stakes in five career starts.
“He ran really well and had to dig in to get past [Fire Pit],” DeVaux said. “Really proud of him. The runner-up ran a great race.”
After taking the $150,000 Chick Lang at Pimlico in May, Retribution struggled behind the undefeated colt Verifire in the $250,000 Maxfield at Churchill Downs, finishing fourth by 8 1/4 lengths.
DeVaux shipped Retribution to Parx in search of a more comfortable spot in the PTHA President’s Sprint, and in a similar far outside post to the one he drew at Pimilico, he overcame a stumble out of the gate to make a determined stalking bid and pull away to win by a half-length. He completed the 6 ½ furlong on a sealed muddy track in 1:16.30 and paid $6.40 to win.
One of just two prior stakes winners in the field of eight, Retribution took care of business under jockey Mychel Sanchez, but Fire Pit, a colt trained by Preciado Guadalupe, made a race of it at 23-1 after a taxing duel on the front end.
Breaking cleanly under Andy Hernandez, Fire Pit made an early bid for the lead outside of Friday Surprise, a 57-1 longshot trained by Uriah St. Lewis. The speedy pair hit the front together and completed a brisk quarter-mile in 22.21.
Friday Surprise hung around near the lead through a half-mile in 44.92, but Fire Pit outlasted him and briefly took command as the field neared the far turn. It didn’t take long for Retribution to join the top flight, but when he made his move from third to lead by a head in the stretch, Fire Pit didn’t go quietly and ran on all the way to the wire.
Fire Pit finished 8 1/2 lengths ahead of Cool Intentions, who finished third before a steward’s inquiry and jockey’s objection changed the order of finish. It was determined that Cool Intentions and Paco Lopez impeded fifth-place finisher Alchemism and Frankie Pennington entering the far turn, forcing that rival to check badly along the rail. Cool Intentions was placed behind Alchemism, elevating Friday Surprise to third for his troubles on the front end.
DeVaux said she intended to send Retribution to the Grade 2, $400,000 Gallant Bob at Parx if he passed this test. That plan remains in motion, as his performance on Monday seemed to suggest he deserves a chance in graded stakes company.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.