The north of Ireland had more than just Darren Clarke to celebrate on Sunday. Trainer Cathal Lynch, a Derry native, found himself in the Monmouth Park winner's circle after Ko-Ko-Mo Stable and Smith's Lil Kiara won the $66,650 Spruce Fir Handicap there by one-half length over Little Stitch. Lil Kiara was never far out of the scramble, reserved in the second flight by jockey Carlos Marquez, Jr. They took over in deep stretch and held to produce a $6.00 win mutuel. This was the first win in almost a year for the 4-year-old New Jersey-bred filly.
Lynch wasn't the only Irish interest to taste victory at Monmouth on Sunday. Linda Shanahan's Justaroundmidnight, an Irish-bred filly, won the ninth race, a second-level allowance race on the grass. Joe Bravo sat patiently on the filly, which had been knocking heads in graded stakes company, and found a hole in midstretch, got the lead and then beat back the challenge of Miss Nepal to score by one-half length. The win price came back $3.20.
Earlier on the same Monmouth program, Shane Ryan's Castleton Lyons saw two of its progeny hit the winner's circle, although under others' silks. David Gruskos' Jamzdeanfnklsteen broke his maiden in the fifth race, while Travin Stable's Donya got her first career win in the seventh race. Both shared a pasture in Lexington, Ky., having been foaled less than three weeks apart in 2008. Donya was claimed from Ryan out of her first race last month on the Jersey shore, while Gruskos' gelding was a $34,000 purchase as a 2-year-old in Ocala, Fla.
TAKE AN OATH WINS
Trainer Mark O'Dwyer got a maiden-breaking win out of Frank Bonsal's Take an Oath in Monday's seventh race at Delaware Park. This was career start number eight for the 3-year-old homebred gelding. He lagged early in this mile and one-sixteenth dirt race, but rallied under Joe Rocco, Jr. to gain the lead turning for home, and widened to a 7-length advantage under the wire. O'Dwyer, a Cork native who grew up 16 furlongs from the Curragh, chopped Take an Oath in claiming price from $15,000 to $7,500 for this race. The win price came back $6.80.
West coast, east coast, barns were looking for shipping money with the Del Mar and Saratoga meets looming. Carl O'Callaghan got his when Dr. Pat Sheehy's Birthday Time rallied to win Hollywood Park's fourth race on Friday evening. And about time it was that the 5-year-old mare should break her maiden, although this was only her fifth trip to the post. Martin Pedroza helped her find her way in this maiden claiming sprint at the $20,000 level. The wagering public found its way to the windows, where Birthday Time paid off to the tune of $6.40.
David Duggan got some shipping money when Jeff Zlonis' Myrtle's Gray won Belmont Park's third race on the Friday of the meet's closing weekend. The 4-year-old filly tracked the early leader most of the way in this starter allowance sprint on the lawn, put that one away a few jumps from the wire and had enough in reserve to stave off a rallier to prevail by a nose under Rajiv Maragh's encouragement. Myrtle's Gray, winless in 20 months, produced a $21.20 win mutuel.
Coolmore also got a winner on the same program when Finale, a 2-year-old colt trained by Todd Pletcher, romped by almost six lengths in his third career start. John Velazquez rode Finale, which paid $5.20 in the win hole.
Friday's second race at River Downs yielded an Irish exacta of sorts. Fergus Galvin's Four Eleven scored by almost five lengths over John O'Meara's Molly's Best to set up a $21.00 return for those who had the pair in correct order. Andrew McKeever claimed Four Eleven out of her last race at Churchill Downs on Galvin's behalf and received a quick return here in this maiden special weight race for the gals on the grass. Perry Ouzts had the mount on Four Eleven, which was bred in Canada by Irish native Michael Byrne. She paid $4.60 to win.
