Smarty Jones Stakes: Protonico gives Pletcher stakes win No. 1,000

BENSALEM, Pa. – In a wild running of the Grade 3, $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx Racing on Monday there were four lead changes in the final quarter-mile. Protonico made the last move, giving trainer Todd Pletcher the 1,000th stakes win of his career.

"I don't know if any of these milestones are significant," Pletcher said. "I do know these stakes mean a lot to the owners. They create value to their horses."

Longshots Ain't Got Time, who had been fractious in the saddling paddock, and Grasshoppin set a lively early pace while tracked from the outside by Just Call Kenny, who was fanned four wide into the first turn.

Favored Albano raced within easy striking distance along the inside, with Almost Famous to his outside and Protonico a bit farther back between horses. The quarter and half went in 22.73 seconds and 46.29.

Just Call Kenny took a short lead while wide nearing the quarter pole through six furlongs in 1:10.77, but Albano surged through along the rail and moved to the front in upper stretch. Classic Giacnroll, who had saved ground throughout, rallied to the lead inside Albano in midstretch, then was nailed by the long-striding Protonico nearing the wire. The margin was a half-length.

Jockey Joe Bravo had Protonico between horses for much of the race. His decision not to go outside may have been the difference between winning and losing.

"I knew I had a lot of horse on the far turn," Bravo said. "Everyone was moving and riding, and I was just sitting there.”

Protonico completed the mile and 70 yards in 1:41.17 after a mile in 1:37.04. He paid $9.20 as the third choice in the field of nine 3-year-olds. Albano was third, 1 3/4 lengths behind Classic Giacnroll.

Protonico, owned and bred by International Equities Holding Inc., came into the Smarty Jones off a close third-place finish to eventual Travers winner V.E. Day in the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga. Pletcher added blinkers to his equipment for the Smarty Jones. Protonico, a son of Giant's Causeway, has now won 3 of 5 starts and $259,715.

* The 50-cent pick four that covered the Monday stakes at Parx paid off for three winners after nobody was able to pick all four. The winners were Quality Lass ($18) in the Turf Amazon, Cary Street ($59.80) in the Greenwood Cup, Protonico ($9.20) in the Smarty Jones, and Sharp Sensation ($34.60) in the Turf Monster. The 4-4-8-3 combination paid $452.45 for three winners.

* Total handle on the 12-race card was $2,808,266. Of that, $280,100 was bet ontrack. Parx does not release attendance figures because they have a casino and admission is free.

– additional reporting by David Grening