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Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (PTHA)

  /  Racing   /  Sweet Bye and Bye, Fielder Capture PA-Bred Stakes at Parx

Sweet Bye and Bye, Fielder Capture PA-Bred Stakes at Parx

-By Keith Jones

Parx Racing played host to two Pennsylvania-bred stakes on the turf Saturday afternoon, the $100,000 Marshall Jenney for three-year-olds and up at five furlongs and the $100,000 Crowd Pleaser for three-year-olds at one mile and one-sixteenth. Sweet Bye and Bye got a perfect pace stalking trip and drew away late to win the Crowd Pleaser while Fielder rallied in the last furlong, getting up in the final stride to win the Marshall Jenney.

Briardale Stable’s Sweet Bye and Bye, a three-year-old Sky Mesa filly competing against males for the first time, sat just off of front runner Smooth B through the first three-quarters of a mile before taking command turning for home. Breaking from the outside gate, Smooth B was hustled away to the early lead while Sweet Bye and Bye was allowed to settle into the second spot as the two headed for the first turn. Racing through fractions of 23.26 and 48.45, the pair remained one-two, only about a length apart, all the way down the backstretch and onto the far turn before winning jockey Carol Cedeno asked her mount to move and engage the leader with about a quarter mile to go. Coming off the final turn, Sweet Bye and Bye had forged a short lead and then with about an eighth of mile to go, finally put Smooth B away for good and began to open up. Striding away to the end, she hit the wire a convincing three lengths in front, keeping her perfect record this season intact, winning for the fourth consecutive time. Trained by Steve Klesaris, she went off as a 9-5 betting favorite and returned $5.80 to win. She covered the distance over a course labeled firm in 1:42.76.

The Marshall Jenney turned into an absolute thriller. Breaking from post two, Spartianos (8-1) jumped immediately to the front, while 16-1 long shot, Fielder, making his turf debut for Waldorf Racing Stables and trainer Marya Montoya, sat third while racing out in the three path heading to the far turn. After an opening quarter of 22.66, Spartianos entered the far turn began to extend his lead. Pace-prompting outsider Amblin Man gave way, and now coming to the quarter pole, Fielder seemed to be bearing out a bit, was still stuck three wide and suddenly found himself three lengths behind. The ground he lost into the stretch cost him another length, now four back with only a furlong to run. Winning jockey Mychel Sanchez then went to work. Straightened away and set down to run, Fielder dug in and began to close the gap on the outside as Spartianos finally began to tire. The two came to the final yards with Spartianos desperately trying to hold on, Fielder gaining with every stride. As the two hit the wire, it would be Fielder who won the photo, getting his nose in front at the last possible moment. He paid $35.20 to win and finished the five furlongs on the grass in :57.51.