Wow Whata Summer delivers 83-1 shocker in Penn Mile

Going into Friday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Penn Mile for 3-year-olds, Wow Whata Summer wasn’t a maiden.

But he was close.

Promoted to victory by the stewards in his career debut last year, a restricted maiden special weight at Colonial Downs, Wow Whata Summer hadn’t finished first in any of his six previous races.

That all changed at Penn National as Wow Whata Summer shocked Grade 2 winner Annapolis over soft turf.

Ridden by Tyler Conner for trainer Chuck Lawrence, Wow Whata Summer saved ground in the second flight as Uncaptured Spirit set fractions of 24.08 seconds and 49.50.

Uncaptured Spirit stayed well off the inside, and Conner took full advantage. He sent Wow Whata Summer through along the fence after six furlongs in 1:17.44 and cut the corner with the lead turning into the stretch.

Annapolis, the 1-2 favorite, made his first start since winning the Grade 2 Pilgrim on Oct. 3 at Belmont. He sat in a prime tracking position, loomed boldly on the second turn, but seemed to struggle with the testing footing. Annapolis tried hard, but his rally fell 1 1/4 lengths shy.

It was another two lengths back to Uncaptured Spirit in third. They were followed by Red Danger, Fort Washington, Ohtwoohthreefive, Witty, and Noneedtoworry.

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ow Whata Summer completed the mile in 1:42.39 and paid a whopping $168.60 as the seventh choice in the eight-horse field.

“We thought that we needed to be forwardly placed with the soft ground," Lawrence said. "The pace wasn't too swift, and the horse wanted to be up there. He seems a little more aggressive this year."

Lawrence wasn't concerned about the major give in the ground.

"I thought it would potentially help me because there were horses coming off layoffs and we had a nice tune-up race," he said.

Although Wow Whata Summer’s win was a shock to the betting public, the gelded son of Summer Front had run some promising races in 2021. Third in the Hickory Tree Stakes at Colonial in his second lifetime start, he then placed fourth in the Kitten’s Joy on Aug. 31 at Colonial and the Laurel Futurity on Oct. 2.

Following a poor performance on dirt Nov. 21, Wow Whata Summer was put away for the winter. He returned as a new gelding and finished third at Laurel in an entry-level allowance at 5 1/2 furlongs, finishing two lengths behind Uncaptured Spirit.

"Last year, I really liked this horse," Lawrence said. "He showed me so much talent in the mornings, but in the afternoon when the jockey would switch leads in the lane and ask him to go, he would go sideways. Finally, we decided to geld him, and it seems like the right decision."

Foaled in Kentucky, Wow Whata Summer is a homebred owned by Jeremy Brooks. He now boasts career earnings of $296,000.

Lawrence said Saturday that Wow Whata Summer emerged from the Penn Mile "like he never ran. He was ready to go back at it this morning."

Wow Whata Summer will be pointed to a stakes spot at Saratoga, with the Grade 3, $300,000 Virginia Derby on Sept. 6 at Colonial as a major goal. Lawrence also indicated he is excited to try the gelding at Kentucky Downs later this year.