Tightend Touchdown repeats in Pennsylvania Governor's Cup
The tactics were different, but the result was the same when Tightend Touchdown returned to defend his title in Saturday’s $150,000 Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup.
Unlike a year ago, when Tightend Touchdown scored a front-running 5 1/2-length victory, this time the now 5-year-old gelding had to come from off the pace under Javier Castellano. Bold Thunder, exiting a series of good races at Gulfstream Park, set the pace in the five-furlong sprint over a turf course rated good and held a 2 1/2-length lead in midstretch. Tightend Touchdown ($4.40), taken off the rail by Castellano with less than a furlong remaining, kicked in and drew off to win by 1 1/2 lengths in 56.77 seconds.
Stormofthecentury, winner of last season’s Grade 3 Turf Monster, rallied strongly to get second at 13-1, a head in front of Bold Thunder.
Henry Argueta, assistant to trainer Jason Servis, said he was not all that concerned when Tightend Touchdown did not get his customary early lead.
“We knew he’d come running,” Argueta said.
In his only previous start this year, Tightend Touchdown was a non-threatening sixth in February at Gulfstream.
“Maybe he didn’t like the turf at Gulfstream,” Argueta said.
It was the 10th victory in 24 career starts for Tightend Touchdown, a son of Pure Precision owned by Mr Amore Stable. He now has earnings of $631,545.
* Locally based King Henry ($9.60), ridden by William Otero, scored a front-running victory in the $50,000 Penn Dash, covering five furlongs on the main track in 57.56 seconds.