Stakes-placed fillies meet in first-level allowance

Watkins Glen, who was good enough to finish second as a maiden in a minor stakes at Saratoga, and Interrogate, who has yet to run as well on dirt as she did in three starts on a synthetic surface, are among seven 2-year-old fillies all seeking their second lifetime victory in Monday’s featured ninth race at Parx Racing.

The first-level allowance, with a purse of $47,000, will be contested at six furlongs on the main track.

Watkins Glen, a New York-bred based in Maryland with trainer Mike Trombetta, showed early promise. Following a third in her career debut, she was ambitiously spotted in the $68,000 Ann Clare Stakes for statebreds at Saratoga. Watkins Glen led until deep stretch and wound up second. Nearly two months later, she returned in an off-the-turf sprint at Belmont and dominated seven New York-bred maidens, winning by nearly six lengths.

Watkins Glen is a half-sister to Pilanesberg, who ran second in last year’s $100,000 West Virginia Sprint Derby at Charles Town.

Trombetta shows an 11-for-38 record (29 percent) with 2-year-old last-out maiden winners returning in a dirt sprint after a break of 31 to 60 days.

Interrogate, based at Finger Lakes with trainer Michael Ferraro, ran on Tapeta in her first three career starts, highlighted by a second in the $100,000 Presque Isle Debutante. In two starts on dirt at Parx, Interrogate has been third and second, both times against Pennsylvania-breds. Although she just missed last time out, Interrogate’s Beyer Speed Figures have dropped off from the low 70s in back-to-back starts at Presque Isle to 56 and 58 in her two outings on dirt.

The best last-race Beyer belongs to Bandola, who comes back 17 days after finishing second going 6 1/2 furlongs in her first start against winners, while also racing on Lasix for the first time. Based at Delaware Park, where she won her career debut going 5 1/2 furlongs, Bandola earned a 74 for her most recent start in a first-level allowance locally, which gives her an 11-point adavantage over the next best last-race figure, a 63 posted by Monmouth maiden winner Hot Summer.

David Fawkes, the trainer of Hot Summer, shows a good 9-for-40 record (23 percent) with 2-year-old last-out maiden winners. Hot Summer is a half-sister to the colt Southwest, who earned $217,000 while racing primarily on turf, including a second in the 2009 John’s Call at Saratoga.