Tacony Road rallies late to spring upset in George W. Barker

Tacony Road overhauled the veteran Lady’s Golden Guy and favored Looms Boldly to drive to a one-length upset win in the $50,000 George W. Barker Stakes for New York-bred sprinters on Monday at Finger Lakes. The Memorial Day feature was the first stakes of the season at the Farmington, N.Y. track.

Tacony Road and Emanuel De Diego were third at the quarter pole, and more than four lengths back of Lady’s Golden Guy, who had been pressed throughout by fellow multiple stakes winner Looms Boldly, getting the quarter in 22.75 seconds and the half in 45.96 on a track rated fast. Tacony Road spun four wide into the stretch, kicked into high gear, and reeled the leaders in inside the furlong grounds to win by a length going away. Lady’s Golden Guy held second by a head.

Tacony Road, 5-1 on the morning line, was sent off at odds of 20-1 and the final time for the six furlongs was 1:12.71. The 5-year-old gelding paid $43.20 for his upset victory.

Tacony Road, owned and trained by Timothy Murphy, has now won six times from 22 career starts. This was his first stakes win, accounting for his longshot status, but he was third in the Leon Reed Memorial last September at Finger Lakes.

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